Patent Found: Adidas to Release Knuckle Shot Ball?
Are Adidas working on a football designed to produce an even more unpredictable flightpath? While investigating Adidas patents to see if we could find out more about the 2022 World Cup ball (spoiler: we could), something entirely different caught our attention.
Just days ago, another Adidas patent went public, specifying a ball designed in way to artificially produce the so-called Dzhanibekov effect, named after Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov, who observed it while in space in 1985. It's also known as "Tennis racket theorem".
The Adidas patent only talks of a ball and does not specify any type of sports. Football, however, is named as the first example in a list of sports that also includes tennis, handball, volleyball, baseball and a few more. The patent was submitted back in June last year but only went public a few days ago.
Such a ball would be fitted with weights to generate the "Dzhanibekov effect". The weights could be added to four points just below the surface of the ball, aligned to follow the desired axes of rotation, which are aligned perpendicularly.
Subsequently, the ball would initially rotate around the first of two axes and later around the second, before the process would repeat itself.
"If one compares the ball according to the invention with the earth and assumes that the earth is a sphere with a constant diameter, then the north pole would first rotate around the axis of rotation of the earth. Then, due to the Dzhanibekov effect, the Earth would rotate in such a way that the North Pole would be shifted to the previous position of the equator and rotate around the equator. After that, due to the Dzhanibekov effect, the North Pole would continue to move from the equator to the South Pole and rotate there." - Adidas
Talking about football, Adidas state that such a ball could produce a totally new flightpath with extremely unpredictable movement due to the way the axis of rotation would change during flight. This would potentially make it much easier to create so-called knuckle shots.
If Adidas are to bring such a football on the market, it would almost certainly be a novelty product rather than one to be used in official matches. As we know, previous attempt to make things more interesting with less reliable balls, such as 2006 and 2010, were heavily criticized at the time.
This will be definitely be an interesting one to follow over the coming weeks and months. Both Henry Hanson and Christopher Holmes work at Adidas' Future division and concrete developments for a specific sport, including football, appear to have yet to take place.
What's your verdict upon reading about Adidas' plans to bring to develop such a football? Comment below.
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Harrogate Town 26-27 Away Kit Released
The new Harrogate Town 2026-2027 away kit has been released. Produced by technical sponsor New Balance, the new jersey introduces a modern aesthetic that departs from traditional, simple designs in favor of a highly striking graphic pattern.
The Harrogate Town 26-27 away shirt is built on a dark navy blue base, which is heavily overlaid with a dynamic, angular geometric camouflage pattern in vibrant shades of teal and light blue. New Balance combines the base with gold logos, creating a stylish look.
What are your thoughts on the new Harrogate Town away kit? Let us know in the comments below.
Manchester City 26-27 Third Kit Leaked - 7 New Pictures
Footy Headlines can now leak 7 new pictures of the Puma Manchester City 26-27 third kit. Although it is a fake, the design is identical to the real one.
Thekit was created using Puma's AI Creator tool in late 2024, with almost 180,000 kits designed by City supporters, and the final design was chosen from 10 finalists.
It is mainly white with a navy/sky blue stripe down the center that fades out, and features a thick v-collar and embossed CITY pattern on the sleeve cuffs.
Special River Plate 125th Anniversary Kit Debuted
Club Atlético River Plate took to the field in their new special edition Adidas jersey marking the club's 125th anniversary during a match on the night of May 27. The design follows a retro style with a white base and traditional red elements, incorporating transparent sponsor applications that preserve the classic look.
Kith x Messi x adidas F50 F&F Edition Teased by Sam Handy
Sam Handy, Creative Director of Adidas, shared images of the special F50 Tunit x Kith Messi boots made for Lionel Messi, part of the exclusive footwear collection created by Adidas and Kith for their biggest star.
The Adidas x Kith F50 Tunit Messi is still based on the original F50 Tunit prototype, combined with the soleplate of the modern F50. It features a soft sky-blue colorway with white and black accents.
This full lineup includes the F50 Tunit, F50 Megaride, F50 Inframe Walkable Cleat, Copa Mundial 17 UltraBOOST, Handball Spezial pairs and a deconstructed Superstar. The full collection releases on May 29, 2026, via Kith stores and website.
Purchases from the collection will include Lionel Messi trading cards, with select signed and PSA-graded versions available. The partnership marks a collaboration between the brands ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
RB Leipzig Reveals South African-Inspired Numbers for 2026-27 Home Jersey
RB Leipzig has introduced special South African-inspired kit numbers for the back of its 2026-27 home jersey. The design, promoted with the hashtag #ReKaofela in connection with the club's post-season tour to South Africa, is available as a special flock application on replica versions of the Puma home kit.
The underlying jersey features a white base with red accents and vertical pinstripes that reference the illuminated strips at the Red Bull Arena. The special numbers tie into RB Leipzig's activities in South Africa and can be purchased through the Red Bull Shop and the club's official store.
Fans seeking to match the team's themed edition can order the home jersey with these custom numbers online.