WORLD CUP NEWS: Lionel Messi unveils new ball to be used for the 2018 Worldcup, the Telstar 18

Adidas has unveiled the official match ball to be used at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The ball is a re-imaging of the cult classic ball that was used at the 1970 World Cup. "Adidas today revealed the official match ball for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, which pays homage to the first-ever adidas World Cup ball," read a statement on Fifa's official website.World football governing body FIFA have revealed the match ball for the Russia 2018 World Cup with the endorsement of one of the world’s biggest superstars Lionel Messi.

“A reinvention of a classic model with a brand-new panel design and the latest technology: in an exciting re-imagining, adidas today revealed the official match ball for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, which pays homage to the first-ever adidas World Cup ball,” FIFA announced on their website on Thursday.
“The Telstar 18 evokes unforgettable memories of the 1970 FIFA World Cup™ – and of legends like Pelé, Gerd Müller, Giacinto Facchetti, Pedro Rocha and Bobby Moore – and will feed the dreams of those who will play for football’s most coveted prize in Russia next year.”

“I was lucky enough to get to know this ball a bit earlier and I managed to have a try with it,” Argentina star Lionel Messi said on FIFA.com. “I like all of it: the new design, the colours, everything.”

FIFA then gave further details about the new ball.

“The name of the original Telstar came from its status as the “star of television”. The first ball to be decorated with black panels, the pattern was designed to stand out on black-and-white TVs, and changed football design forever.

Lionel Messi, whose hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Ecuador helped book Argentina's place at next year's tournament, helped launch the new ball at an official unveiling ceremony in Moscow. 

“I was lucky enough to get to know this ball a bit earlier and I managed to have a try with it," said Messi. 

Source - Telegraph Uk, Complete Sports