'An assault on the eyes' Leaked World Cup ball slammed as design dubbed one of the worst ever

"The 2026 World Cup is now just nine months away, which means the steady drip of marketing and endorsement messages is starting to crank up, with next summer's tournament in North America set to be the most commercial yet. This build-up is often one of the best parts of a major tournament, as kits are leaked, sticker albums are released and tournament songs come out, all amid the hope that your country can end their decades-long wait for a major trophy."

"Images of Pele and company dazzling fans at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico wouldn't be the same without the devastatingly simple Adidas Telstar ball, while the iconic Tango and subsequent variations over the next couple of decades were a thing of beauty. There's the Mexican styling of the 1986 Azteca ball, the Roman-influenced Etrusco Unico used at Italia 90 and also the classy Tricolore used at France 1998."

"Recent trends over the past couple of decades have seen Adidas go in different directions, with the 2002 Fevernova a unique design that is very much of its era, while the 2014 Brazuca ball very much had a samba feel. The 2022 ball had plenty of colour in there, which was an achievement, considering the organisers' stance on rainbow flags at the tournament. So, what about next summer's purported effort, which has already found its way online via Footy Headlines?"

The 2026 World Cup is nine months away and marketing and endorsements are ramping up ahead of the North America tournament. The build-up includes leaked kits, sticker albums, tournament songs and now a purported tournament ball leak. Fans remember classic World Cup balls like the Adidas Telstar, the Tango, the 1986 Azteca, the Etrusco Unico and the Tricolore, each reflecting host-nation themes. Recent balls have varied stylistically, with the 2002 Fevernova distinctive, the 2014 Brazuca evoking samba, and the 2022 ball using bold colour despite organisers' stance on rainbow flags. The newest leak, named Adidas Trionda, has been labelled an eyesore.

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