How Ball Technology Has Impacted Euro 2024
As Euro 2024 progressed to the knockout stages, viewers were treated to some spectacular matches (such as Netherlands-Austria), some sizable shocks (Georgia beating Portugal to progress) and some dull matches (several matches involving England).
The fan culture has also been a delight, with supporters of different countries teasing each other with food-based taunts, such as breaking spaghetti in front of Italians and claiming that the schnitzel is mightier than the baguette. There are also the colour-filled marches to the game where supporters congregate in thousands to sing and build up the atmosphere before kick-off.
One of the biggest innovations, however, has come courtesy of the ball technology, which has enabled faster offside decisions and could also be partly responsible for the noteworthy number of long-range screamers in the tournament so far. How does it work exactly, and what differences has it made to the play?
The ball with tech
The Adidas Fussballliebe, which was designed specifically for the Euro 2024 tournament, is fitted with special technology intended to speed up decisions made by officials in the tournament. The change is partly a response to the fact that since its introduction, the use of VAR – Video-Assisted Referee – has proved more divisive than the on-pitch referees themselves.
In addition to constantly arguing over the decisions themselves, there has been a barrage of criticism over the time it takes for the video-assisted officials to reach a conclusion about crucial passages of play. This is a particular problem for the players and supporters in the stadium. Without the benefit of television replays, they are forced to stand around, often for minutes at a time, as the fate of the match is decided away from the pitch.
Although some decisions, such as tackles for dangerous play, rely on some subjective criteria, others, such as offside, should be possible to judge almost entirely objectively. For this reason, UEFA has focused on increasing the speed of offside decisions during the matches.
Faster decisions all round
UEFA has deployed semi-automated ball technology that links up with the players and the balls themselves to improve accuracy in offside decisions and speed up the review process. Ten cameras have been fitted in each of the group stage venues that are able to track 29 points of the body on each player. Each ball is fitted with a sensor that can detect every touch it receives. These data points are then combined and analysed in real time, with help from AI, to reach a final decision.
How has it been working? So far, offside decisions do appear to be noticeably faster. Nevertheless, there has still been some frustration among players and fans due to wild celebrations for vital goals being halted in mid-flow by the call of VAR. Thankfully, the wait is at least a little less interminable than before.
There is even hope that in the future, calls could become even faster as the current technology becomes more refined. It may eventually be as effective as goal-line technology, which is able to provide confirmation of whether the ball has crossed the line in a second or less.
So far, so good
The Fussballliebe, which is made from recycled polyester and materials such as corn fibres, sugar cane and wood pulp, could also be responsible for the high number of long-range goals scored in the competition such as Morten Hjulmand’s 30-yarder for Denmark against England and Arda Güler’s rocket for Turkey against Georgia.
As for the ball-assisted technology, there is no question it has been successful so far, with most offside calls made noticeably faster than in previous VAR-assisted tournaments and no discernible errors yet. At the same time, however, many fans continue to criticise the use of technology in the first place, particularly on marginal decisions where the differences are barely visible to the naked eye.
For this reason, although UEFA officials will be quietly pleased with how the new tech has worked so far, they also know that they are only one significant error away from provoking further outcry over what many fans consider to be the encroachment of too much technology on the beautiful game. As we move toward the latter stages of the competition in a tournament watched all around the world, the technology will not only face its greatest test, but also its highest level of scrutiny.
