There will no longer be miracles like scoring goals with Cristiano Ronaldo's hair, the application of the most advanced technology makes EURO 2024 the fairest playing field ever.
The most modern Fussballliebe ball ever
The official match ball at EURO 2024 is Fussballliebe (roughly translated from German as "football love"), a product converging the most advanced technology developed by Adidas.
The Fussballliebe ball is made of a biopolymer layer (an environmentally friendly biological material derived from sugarcane bagasse, corn...) with good elasticity to help players control the speed and direction of the ball accurately. Fussballliebe's surface layer uses a 20-part polyurethane (PU) material, along with purposefully designed grooves for optimal dynamics.
All these factors help the Fussballliebe ball provide precise movement and maximum shape and air retention. According to Telegraph, the Fussballliebe ball contributed to the percentage of goals from long shots at EURO 2024 reaching an all-time record (up to now accounting for more than 32%, while the maximum in previous Euros was only 18.6%).
Not only is it optimally designed, Fussballliebe is also the most modern ball in history. The ball possesses a centrally located chip, held by a special suspension system that connects many locations just below the ball's surface to detect the impact force on the ball. This processor chip is capable of collecting and analyzing data 500 times per second and is capable of recognizing even the slightest touch.
Data transmitted from the sensor in the ball will be continuously transmitted to the computer in real time and actively support VAR in situations of handball, offside and many other controversial errors. This technology is similar to the Snickometer technology used in baseball, one of its effects was to demonstrate Ronaldo's goal known as "God's hair" in the match between Portugal and Uruguay. In addition, this is also one of the technologies that caused Lukaku to be denied 3 goals at Euro 2024.
Apply AI to VAR
Used since Euro 2016, VAR technology (Video Assistant Referee - video technology to support referees) continues to be applied at EURO 2024, but in a more upgraded version.
A system of 10 cameras placed throughout the stadium can simultaneously identify 29 points on each player. And with 22 players on the field, the camera system will capture 600 images at the same time. Image data will be returned to the computer 50 times per second, and with such a large amount of data, only AI can provide the most accurate analysis to provide useful reference information for the referee.
AI also combines data from sensors in the ball with the camera system to help analyze the position of the players and the ball on the field most accurately, determining which part the player touched the ball with... thereby helping the referee make more accurate decisions in controversial situations.
These technologies are especially useful in offside catching situations (applying semi-automatic offside catching technology - SAOT). One of the most famous situations where this technology was applied was in the match between Belgium and Romania, when striker Lukaku was determined to be offside with a distance violation of just...1 toe.
In addition to providing accurate data, AI also helps shorten the referee's Var check time at EURO 2024 to only about 30 seconds instead of 70 seconds like at Euro 2022.
Goal-line Technology (GLT)
The European football federation has installed Goal-line technology in all EURO 2024 stadiums. With 7 cameras in each goal, this technology can simulate the movement of the ball on a computer, through That determines whether the football has passed the goal line or not.
Goal-line calculations will be reported directly to the referee's watch to make the correct decision. The recorded image is also shared with fans so that there is no longer any debate about whether the ball crossed the goal line or not.
In addition to the main technologies above, all EURO 2024 stadiums are covered by 5G to ensure high-speed transmission. Along with that, augmented reality (AR) applications are also applied at EURO 2024 football stadiums so that even fans do not present at the stadium can still feel the vibrant atmosphere and realistic sounds here.