We know Paris as the city of lights. I’m not sure, but maybe this is the reason why Adidas chose a light red for its ball used during the final between Arsenal and Barcelona held at the Stade the France.
Adidas Finale Paris is the first ball without a solid paint for the stars. The pink stars are now white in the inside. This gives an inner glow effect.
It may interest you:
How Barcelona won the 2006 Champions League final in Paris
The technology is also new. It is based on the Adidas Teamgeist developed for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. The 32 panels, used as a standard since the 1970s, evolve to fourteen curved panels. Like Roteiro’s technology, the Teamgeist panels are bonded together, rather than stitched.
The design is evolving together with the technology. The Adidas Finale Paris ball is rounder and performs better, regardless of where you hit it.
Adidas Finale 6: continuation with the Teamgeist technology.
Teamgeist technology is used for the next Adidas Finale balls.
An inner glow effect is still in place for the Adidas Finale 6, while gray tones embedded with red lines are covering the stars. Besides the usual final patches, Adidas opted for dark blue stars for the 2006-07 Athens final. The inner circle is still white.
Two years ago, Liverpool won in Istanbul. Now, Milan restores the balance: each red team got a lucky blue star.
Adidas Finale 6 
Adidas Finale Athens
Adidas Finale 7: orange mix
A pattern emerges in the Champions League ball design. Elements from the previous final are present in the next Adidas Finale edition. It can be the pattern, the inner, the contour, similar shades or small details. But the color always changed.
For the first 6 editions, we got 3 main shades in various combinations: gray and black tones, blue, and red.
Adidas tries a new mix: the white inner star becomes orange. Two layers are making a bolder contour: a lighter gray in the inside and a black one in the outside.
The 2007-08 final takes place in Moscow. Red square is one of the most known places in the Russian capital so, you can guess why red stars makes a comeback on the ball.
Adidas Finale 7 
Adidas Finale Moscow
But what is the novelty of the Adidas Finale Moscow? The answer is: gradients. The ball is a mélange of solid red stars combined with red gradients of black and red contoured stars. Another unique design that is Manchester United’s lucky star.
Adidas Finale 8 and Adidas Finale 9: the last Teamgeist ball family
Adidas offered an update known as Teamgeist II during the 2007 Club World Cup in Japan. The Euro 2008 ball was also a modified Teamgeist ball. But the 14 panel model remains the same.
For the 2008-09 Champions League edition, the ball technology is more or less the same. Black gradients replace the former red in a ball that is otherwise similar to Adidas Finale Moscow.
Adidas Finale 8 
Adidas Finale 9
The real novelty in terms of design comes with the Adidas Finale Rome ball. In terms of color, classic roman burgundy contoured by gold lines fills the stars. For the first time, mosaic figures filled the stars. They represent sporting and Roman values such as teamwork, justice and speed.
This time, my favorite blaugrana team wins the trophy at Stadio Olimpico. Adidas Finale is once again a lucky starball for the Champions League finalist 😊
Adidas Finale 9 keeps the same line for the 2009-10 Champions League season. Black stars and orange lines form the ball used throughout the group stage. It is the last match ball to use Teamgeist technology.
Many thanks to ykyeco who give me the right to use all the balls images presented in this article. You can check his Instagram account or his website for more match balls pictures.
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