Roteiro UEFA EURO 2004 Match Ball

Adidas Roteiro Official Match Ball of UEFA EURO 2004

roteiro ball Roteiro UEFA EURO 2004 Match Ball
roteiro ball (1) Roteiro UEFA EURO 2004 Match Ball

Adidas Press Release

Tuesday, June 8, 2004 , Herzogenaurach, 

Personalized Match Balls for Every UEFA EURO 2004 TM Match 


In what is a first for a major football tournament, every single match ball at UEFA EURO 2004 will be specifically personalized to each individual game. The Adidas Roteiro™ balls used at each match will be inscribed with the name of the teams, the date, the name of the stadium and the longitude and latitude of the center spot of the pitch. Adidas will supply 20 of the revolutionary thermal bonded personalized balls per game. 


Adidas Press Release

Monday, December 1, 2003 , Herzogenaurach / Lisbon,

Adidas Presents Roteiro as the Official Match Ball of UEFA EURO 2004

Portuguese national team players today revealed the adidas Roteiro, the new Official Match Ball for UEFA EURO 2004. The Roteiro is the first ever Official Match Ball produced with the innovative thermal-bonding production technique developed over the last four years.

The game of football is faster and more technical than ever before. After several progressions based on material development, traditional ball construction had reached its limits. Consequently, a new ball production concept was developed – called thermal bonding – providing consistent quality and performance from one ball to the next. The new Roteiro ball by adidas also features the new Power Balance Technology, has a seamless surface design and offers a revolutionary new carcass.

England captain David Beckham said: “The most important thing for me is to know that I can rely on the ball to go exactly where I want it to go. The new Roteiro reacts very well to my foot. When I’ve helped adidas to test the Roteiro in Madrid, I’ve noticed that the accuracy of my corners, my passing and, of course, my free kicks improved from using this ball. When you’re kicking it, it even sounds better. No one has ever seen anything like this before. I think it is great to kick and it’s going to be a great ball to play with. Keepers are going to have a very tough time.”

The Roteiro is named after the logbook used by Vasco da Gama, the famous Portuguese discoverer. The unique and dynamic design features an aqua metallic base color, which represents the sky, a blue globe color reminiscent of the sea, and silver lines to signify the co-ordinate system used and perfected by the Portuguese.


From UEFA Media Services:

Launch of Official UEFA EURO 2004™ Match Ball

adidas’ Roteiro™ produced using innovative technology

UEFA and adidas presented the new Official Match Ball for UEFA EURO 2004™. Named Roteiro™, the new ball will be used at all matches of the UEFA European Football Championship in Portugal.

Roteiro™ is named after the logbook used by Vasco da Gama, the famous Portuguese discoverer. The unique and dynamic design features an aqua metallic base color, which represents the sky, a blue globe color reminiscent of the sea, and silver lines to signify the co-ordinate system used and perfected by the Portuguese. Its name, design and reference to Portuguese historical elements will perfectly match its inauguration at the Final Tournament.

In developing Roteiro™ adidas has used a new production concept. Using thermal bonding this new technique in ball production provides a more consistent quality and performance from one ball to the next. Roteiro™ is the first-ever official match ball produced with this innovative production technique. It also features the new Power Balance Technology, has a seamless surface design and a revolutionary new carcass.

The ball has undergone trials by top players and European clubs and David Beckham of Real Madrid and England said of the ball:

“The new Roteiro™ reacts well to my foot. It seems to be dipping a lot, which is obviously good for me and other free-kick takers. It has a whole new look and feel. When you’re kicking it, it even sounds better. No one has ever seen anything like this before. I think it is great to kick and it’s going to be a great ball to play with.”

Commenting on the launch of the new ball, UEFA CEO Gerhard Aigner, said:

“EURO 2004 is the most prestigious event in the European footballing calendar and hugely important for UEFA. The fundamental part of the game – the ball – must match that prestige in both design and performance. Roteiro™ has undergone rigorous testing in laboratories and it has out-performed all previous balls produced.”

Dr. Gilberto Madaíl, Portuguese Football Federation President and Chairman of the Board of Euro 2004, S.A said: “adidas has delivered a stunning, modern and state-of the-art Portuguese football. This is very much how we envisage the UEFA EURO 2004 event to be. We want to show the world a warm, passionate, authentic yet modern Portugal. Portugal is ready to be discovered!”

adidas is also a UEFA EURO 2004™ National Supporter and Licensee.

2004 Roteiro Euro Matchball -1 Roteiro UEFA EURO 2004 Match Ball

Above picture with ball in original box provided by Jacques Barralon


New Euro 2004 Ball Under Fire From Players 


LISBON (AFP) — As the kickoff date for the Euro 2004 finals approaches, the new seamless ball which will be used during the three-week tournament is being panned by a growing number of players.

“The ball is strange. We have all discussed it and we all feel the same way,” Greek midfielder Vassilis Tsartas told reporters at the team’s training camp.

He complained it was impossible to hit a target with a long pass.

Czech Republic coach Karel Bruckner echoed his concerns.

“This ball could be good just for the players of Real Madrid who play with short passes. But our players have problems controlling it with long passes,” he says. “We will have to learn new habits and we will probably have to change our playing system.”

German sports goods maker Adidas has supplied more than 2,300 balls for matches and training sessions during the 16-nation championship which begins Saturday and ends on July 4.

The company claims the silver ball, named the “Roteiro” after the diaries of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, is faster because of its stitchless surface.

It is not the first time that a ball designed for a major tournament has come under fire by players.

At the 2002 World Cup held in Japan and South Korea, many players, especially keepers, blasted the Fevernova, the official Adidas ball, as being too light and swerving too much.

Players also faulted the balls designed and provided by Adidas for the World Cup in 1998 and 1994.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon however insists the Roteiro ball is “worse” than the one used during the 2002 World Cup.

“The effects are very strange and it reacts in unexpected ways. It even has a strange color,” he said.

The Italian squad is among one of the sharpest critics of the ball.

Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo said it reminded him of plastic balls used by children. Star striker Francesco Totti added: “It is very hard and despite what some people say, it does not benefit attackers.”

But the ball counts as fans some of the world’s best players, including England’s David Beckham and France’s Zinedine Zidane.

“The most important thing for me is to know that I can rely on the ball to go exactly where I want it to go,” said Beckham after the ball was launched earlier this year.

“I think it is great to kick and it’s going to be a great ball to play with. Keepers are going to have a very tough time,” the Real Madrid star, who has a sponsorship deal with Adidas, added.

Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Manchester United, said he is unfazed by the new ball.

“It is faster than other balls and curves more, but I believe it is a matter of getting used to it. For me any ball will do,” he said.


roteiro tech drawing Roteiro UEFA EURO 2004 Match Ball

Technical Information of the Roteiro™:

  • Thermal bonded panel edges. Special adhesive for durability and water resistance.  That means no stitching.
  • Panel design – Syntactic PU surface material for maximum abrasion resistance.
  • Innovative carcass technology – for best performance and most consistent quality properties.
  • High-grade natural latex bladder – for best rebound characteristics.
Roteiro_Asian_Cup Roteiro UEFA EURO 2004 Match Ball

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