Nike has launched the new "Flight" ball, which took eight years to perfect and comes with remarkable innovations that could revolutionise the modern game.
Football has come a long way over the past two decades with modern technological advancements through analysts, eating plans, and state-of-the-art equipment, and from nearly weightless boots to heart-rate vests.
The ball in the beautiful game is no different. It has also evolved, and Nike's latest product offering is testimony to their pursuit of redefining perfection.
After taking part in the official press conference for the Flight ball, Kieran Ronan, the general manager of Global Football Equipment at Nike, offered insight to the latest innovation, which can be seen in the gallery above.
The ball that will change the game in terms of passing accuracy, crossing, and through-balls, and benefit elite free-kick takers has a striking resemblance to a golf ball, where the technology behind the true flight is derived.
No more Jabulani-esque mishaps
With more than 800 athletes having tested the new ball over the duration of the project, it uses the unique AerowSculpt technology to gain 30% truer flight and it is likely to benefit goalkeepers as well.
"I genuinely believe it is as someone who played between the sticks myself, it's amazing the number of conversations we have with goalkeepers on this," Ronan said in response to a question from snl24.com/kickoff.
"Today's modern game as you put it, Lorenz, is the application of graphics on the ball is to improve the visual flicker, so people can see it better, particularly at stadiums when games are played at night under lights.
"The whole purpose of this [ball] is to offer consistent flight and it's to give the players more confidence of putting the ball where they really want it and ultimately for the goalkeepers – they know what the other players are trying to do.
"That consistency of flight, along with testing during the upcoming [2020/21] season, that consistency will be evident as we've worked tirelessly to reduce that uneven wobble to gain truer flight."
The four-panel ball, which moves away from the traditional 12 panels and also offers a more prominent sweet spot for players to hit, as well as a notable advancement for impeccable first touches, was officially released on 29 June.