In a first in football, adidas has broken new ground by inviting two pioneering European design studios, Gonzalez Haase AAS and Sabine Marcelis, to design the Official Match Ball plinths for Euro 2024.
The focal point of every match at the impending Euro 2024 tournament in Germany will be the official match ball, known as FUSSBALLLIEBE, meaning ‘love for football’. An emblem of passion, unity and devotion that transcends borders and cultures, FUSSBALLLIEBE celebrates Europe’s unity in diversity, embracing a universal language of emotion and identity grounded in the UEFA EURO 2024 principles of simplicity, perspective, innovation and distinction. And being that it has such a strong message behind it, it deserves a platform worthy of it, and that’s where adidas’s latest initiative comes in.
Elevating the plinth to an art form and extending the FUSSBALLLIEBE’s message of unity across the fields of football and art, adidas has invited Berlin-based multidisciplinary artist duo Gonzalez Haase AAS and Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis to create special plinths for the tournament.
For the Euro 2024 opening match in Munich on 14 June, Gonzalez Haase AAS created a plinth featuring 24 colourful aluminium sheets that represent each participating team. Seamlessly blending architecture and design, the plinth attests to Gonzalez Haase AAS’s commitment to redrawing the boundaries between art and functionality.
The harmonisation of the aluminium sheets and incorporation of the ball’s colours celebrate the joy of FUSSBALLLIEBE and the unity of the teams it brings together. Gonzalez Haase AAS will further reveal special-edition plinth designs for the semi-final matches in Munich on 9 July and Dortmund on 10 July, as well the final in Berlin on 14 July.
Sabine Marcelis's plinth design will raise the ball for all remaining group stage matches in Germany's 10 host stadiums. Crafted from her signature resin, the sleek sculpture blends minimalism with inventive structural elements including a hollow interior for lightness and transparency. Four versions of the plinth in red, green, blue or yellow celebrate the identity of all host cities. Marcelis parallels football's values of unity and teamwork with her artistic vision, infusing her work with harmony and cohesion. Through her innovative approach, she invites viewers to contemplate the intersection of art, design, and the built environment, capturing the collective energy and passion ignited by FUSSBALLLIEBE.
Gonzalez Haase AAS said: “We approach design like a sculptor would. It was important that the object had something that played with space, and connected to the space around it. By working with the blades, we brought light into the object. Through the reflection of the light on each color, it becomes alive. It will look always different. Even if the color doesn't change, the light changes it. Each blade reflects the color next to it. So every color is found in the other.”
Sabine Marcelis said: “I wanted to tackle the challenge to elevate this classic plinth. What most intrigued me about adidas’s brief was the opportunity to encapsulate the essence of FUSSBALLLIEBE into a tangible design. The challenge was to create something that wasn’t just functional but also carried a deep emotional resonance. It was about more than just a holder; it was about creating an icon that represents the passion, unity, and excitement that football brings to millions of people.”
Pick up the Euro 24 Official Match Ball at prodirectsport.com/soccer
