New balls please. The group stage 'Beau Jeu' ball is replaced by the 'Fracas' as adidas roll out the official match ball of the Euro 2016 knock-out phase. Complete with fresh graphics and a matching knock-out design.
The name – which translates to ‘clamour’ in French – was chosen by Parisian influencers to encapsulate the drama and uncertainty associated with knock-out games complemented by a dynamic red and black design. An all-round edgier edition of the 'Beau Jeu' for the unpredictable, emotional rollercoaster of elimination football. It'll be used for the first time when Switzerland play the runners-up of Group C in Saint-Etienne on Saturday.
Sam Handy, Vice President of Design, explained the thinking behind the new design: “For Fracas, we wanted to be bold with our design direction and create something that incorporated the emotions felt during the latter stages of tournament football. Beau Jeu was all about tactical football; doing what you had to do in order to get to the knock-out stages. Fracas is a more disruptive design. It represents the noise of the crowd and the excitement around a winner-takes-all mentality on the pitch.”
Want it? Pick one up here.
