# Adidas Telstar

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Soccer ball by Adidas

Adidas Telstar The 1974 World Cup Adidas Telstar Type Football Inventor Eigil Nielsen Inception 1968; 58 years ago (1968) Manufacturer Adidas Available Yes Current supplier Adidas Last production year 2018 Models made Telstar Elast Telstar Telstar Durlast Telstar 18

**Telstar** is a [football](/source/Ball_(association_football)) made by [Adidas](/source/Adidas). The iconic 32-panel alternating black-and-white design of the ball, based on the work of [Eigil Nielsen](/source/Eigil_Nielsen_(footballer%2C_born_1918)), has since become a global standard design used to portray a football in different media.

## History

Adidas Telstar soccer ball used at the [1970 World Cup](/source/1970_FIFA_World_Cup) in Mexico

The ball was first introduced as the "Telstar Elast" for the [1968 European Football Championship](/source/UEFA_Euro_1968).[1] A slightly different ball named "Telstar" was used as the [official match ball](/source/List_of_FIFA_World_Cup_official_match_balls) of the [1970 FIFA World Cup](/source/1970_FIFA_World_Cup) in [Mexico](/source/Mexico).[2] The similar "Telstar Durlast" was one of two official balls, along with the *Chile Durlast*, of the [1974 FIFA World Cup](/source/1974_FIFA_World_Cup) held in [West Germany](/source/West_Germany).[2][3] The ball was also used in the [1972](/source/UEFA_Euro_1972) and [1976](/source/UEFA_Euro_1976) European Championships.

The Telstar was the first World Cup ball to use the now-familiar [truncated icosahedron](/source/Truncated_icosahedron) for its design, consisting of 12 black [pentagonal](/source/Pentagon) and 20 white [hexagonal](/source/Hexagon) panels.[2][3] The 32-panel configuration had been introduced in 1962 by [Select Sport](/source/Select_Sport),[4][5] and was also used in the official logo for the 1970 World Cup.[6] The black-and-white pattern, to aid visibility on [black and white television](/source/Black_and_white_television) broadcasts (colour television was still rare worldwide during this time), was also well established before the Telstar.[5][7]

The [Telstar](/source/Telstar) satellite for which the ball was named

The name came from the 1962 [Telstar communications satellite](/source/Telstar), which was roughly spherical and dotted with solar panels, somewhat similar in appearance to the football.[2] Developed by [Bell Telephone Laboratories](/source/Bell_Telephone_Laboratories) for [AT&T Corporation](/source/AT%26T_Corporation), Telstar was the world's first active communications satellite[8] and was the first to send live television signals, telephone calls, and fax images through space,[9] which inaugurated an age of instant worldwide communications via satellite.[10]

The ball was made of [leather](/source/Leather).[2] The 1974 model's "Durlast" [polyurethane](/source/Polyurethane) coating provided [waterproofing](/source/Waterproofing) as well as protection from damage such as scuffs and tears.[11]

Only 20 Telstars were provided for the World Cup; an estimated 600,000 replicas were sold subsequently.[2] Some 1970 matches were played with a brown ball.[12] The Chile Durlast was all white and was used during the Italy-Germany semifinal for the first 20 minutes, then it was replaced by a 32 panel black and white due to a deflation.[3]

A new version of the Telstar, named [Telstar 18](/source/Adidas_Telstar_18), was the official match ball for the [2018 FIFA World Cup](/source/2018_FIFA_World_Cup). The design maintains the general pattern, except the corners of the pentagons are stretched into pixellated gradients.

Telstar is now considered a classic design. Although most footballs used in current championships have different designs and sections, in representations of footballs in cartoons, comics, caricatures and decorations in general, footballs inspired by Adidas Telstar are usually used, becoming a universal icon for football to this day.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-blizzard6_1-0)** [*The Blizzard: Issue 6*](https://web.archive.org/web/20120827005507/http://www.theblizzard.co.uk/product/issue-six-print/). Blizzard Media Limited. 2012. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-908940-06-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-908940-06-3). Archived from [the original](https://www.theblizzard.co.uk/product/issue-six-print/) on 2012-08-27. Retrieved 2012-09-13.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-fifalist_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-fifalist_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-fifalist_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-fifalist_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-fifalist_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-fifalist_2-5) ["1970 Mexico"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111023004805/http://footballs.fifa.com/Football-Facts/FIFA-World-Cup-Footballs). *The Footballs during the FIFA World Cup*. [FIFA](/source/FIFA). Archived from [the original](http://footballs.fifa.com/Football-Facts/FIFA-World-Cup-Footballs#eztoc717_0_1_11) on 23 October 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2011.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-soccerballworld_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-soccerballworld_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-soccerballworld_3-2) ["The History of the Official World Cup Match Balls"](http://www.soccerballworld.com/HistoryWCBalls.htm). *SoccerBallWorld*. Rig-Tech Inc. Retrieved 17 September 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The Story of Select"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100307173315/http://www.select-sport.com/script/site/page.asp?artid=124&cat_id=84). Select Sport. Archived from [the original](http://www.select-sport.com/script/site/page.asp?artid=124&cat_id=84) on 7 March 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2011.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Bernsen_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Bernsen_5-1) Bernsen, Jens (1992). "Vi er røde, vi er hvide". *Design DK* (in Danish and English). Dansk Design Centre. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0906-9194](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0906-9194).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["1970 FIFA World Cup Mexico"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070603185337/http://fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=32/index.html). *Previous FIFA World Cups*. [FIFA](/source/FIFA). Archived from [the original](https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=32/index.html) on June 3, 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** See [Getty Images](/source/Getty_Images) photos: - [#53324431](http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/53324431/Hulton-Archive) [1965 European Cup Final](/source/1965_European_Cup_Final) - [#3376509](http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/3376509/Hulton-Archive) Terry Venables in 1965 - [#81398917](http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/81398917/Sports-Illustrated) New York Champions Cup 1966 - [#2887049](http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/2887049/Hulton-Archive) [1967 European Cup Winners' Cup Final](/source/1967_European_Cup_Winners'_Cup_Final)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["July 12, 1962: The Day Information Went Global"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210120153024/https://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/telstar.html). Archived from [the original](https://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/telstar.html) on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Mann, Adam. ["Telstar 1: The Little Satellite That Created the Modern World 50 Years Ago"](https://www.wired.com/2012/07/50th-anniversary-telstar-1/). *Wired*. Retrieved 1 February 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Telstar inaugurated an age of instant worldwide communications via satellite"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180202191802/https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/communications-satellite-telstar). Archived from [the original](https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/communications-satellite-telstar) on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Why Use Durlast Polyurethanes?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110722032147/http://www.durlastitalia.it/Eng/why_use_durlast_polyurethanes.html). Durlast. Archived from [the original](http://www.durlastitalia.it/Eng/why_use_durlast_polyurethanes.html) on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** See [Getty Images](/source/Getty_Images) photos of matches in the [Estadio Nou Camp](/source/Estadio_Nou_Camp), [León](/source/Le%C3%B3n%2C_Guanajuato): - [#80752641](http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/80752641/Popperfoto) (West Germany v. England) - [#79662284](http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/79662284/Popperfoto) (Bulgaria v. Morocco) - [#81345734](http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/81345734/Sports-Illustrated) (Peru v. West Germany) - [#80752534](http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/80752534/Popperfoto) (Peru v. Morocco)

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Adidas Telstar](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Adidas_Telstar).

- van Rheenen, Erik (16 August 2013). ["Why Are Soccer Balls Made of Hexagons?"](http://mentalfloss.com/article/51296/why-are-soccer-balls-made-hexagons). *[Mental Floss](/source/Mental_Floss)*. Retrieved 16 August 2013.

Preceded by Challenge 4-Star FIFA World Cup official ball 1970–1974 Succeeded by Tango Preceded by No official ball UEFA European Championship official ball 1968, 1972, 1976 Succeeded by Tango River Plate

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v t e FIFA World Cup official match balls Telstar (1970) Telstar Durlast (1974) Tango Durlast (1978) Tango España (1982) Azteca (1986) Etrusco Unico (1990) Questra (1994) Tricolore (1998) Fevernova (2002) +Teamgeist (2006) Jabulani (2010) Brazuca (2014) Telstar 18 (2018) Al Rihla (2022) Trionda (2026)

v t e UEFA European Championship symbols Albums 1996: The Beautiful Game 2000: Euro 2000: The Official Album 2004: Vive O 2004! Songs 1992: "More Than a Game" 1996: "We're in This Together" 2000: "Campione 2000" 2004: "Força" 2008: "Can You Hear Me" 2012: "Endless Summer" 2016: "This One's for You" 2020: "We Are the People 2024: "Fire" Mascots 1980: Pinocchio 1984: Péno 1988: Berni 1992: Rabbit 1996: Goaliath 2000: Benelucky 2004: Kinas 2008: Trix and Flix 2012: Slavek and Slavko 2016: Super Victor 2020: Skillzy 2024: Albärt Balls 1968: Telstar Elast 1972: Telstar Durlast 1976: Telstar Durlast 1980: Tango River Plate 1984: Tango Mundial 1988: Tango Europa 1992: Etrusco Unico 1996: Questra Europa 2000: Terrestra Silverstream 2004: Roteiro 2008: Europass 2012: Tango 12 2016: Beau Jeu (group stage) & Fracas (knockout phase) 2020: Uniforia (until quarter-finals) & Uniforia Finale (from semi-finals) 2024: Fussballliebe Video games 1992: Champions of Europe 1996: UEFA Euro 96 England 2000: UEFA Euro 2000 2004: UEFA Euro 2004 2008: UEFA Euro 2008 2012: UEFA Euro 2012 2016: Pro Evolution Soccer: UEFA Euro 2016 France 2020: eFootball PES 2020 & 2021 Season Update 2024: EA Sports FC 24

v t e UEFA Euro 1968 Stages Qualification Final tournament Final General information Squads Official symbols Telstar Elast (ball)

v t e UEFA Euro 1972 Stages Qualification Final tournament Final General information Squads Official symbols Telstar Durlast (ball)

v t e UEFA Euro 1976 Stages Qualification Final tournament Final General information Squads Official symbols Telstar Durlast (ball)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Adidas Telstar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas_Telstar) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas_Telstar?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.