U-17 World Cup: Krasava sets football fever rolling in Kochi

KOCHI: As the city is agog with excitement brought on by the FIFA Under-17  World Cup,  the football fever has peaked further with ‘Krasava’ - the official match ball of the U-17 World Cup - coming into action. However, having a ball in their possession will be a tall order as it is not available in the state’s markets and will also burn a deep hole in the pockets of the football fans. The price range of the ball manufactured by German sportswear giant Adidas starts from Rs 8,999. 

‘Krasava’, a word commonly used by Russian sports fans to describe a beautiful performance,  features a striking red design with jagged lines running through it is designed to represent the design of a Russian ruby. Interestingly, while the sports shops are witnessing a spike in the sale of soccer balls and football accessories, the shop owners said the official match ball has not evoked much enthusiasm among the fans.

“It was also the official match ball of FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017. The model Caddy-500 used in the Champions League 2016 final is available here,” said Ijas P Ismail, owner of Breeze Sports, Kalamassery. According to him, only a few enquiries for the ball have been received so far.  

The structure of the ball incorporates the same innovative and widely-praised panel shape as the Beau Jeu and Fracas, the Adidas balls used in Euro 2016. It offers premium surface structure, enhanced grip, and in-flight visibility.The ball was seen on the field for the first time on October 6.

“The ball is available in brand stores of Adidas. However, it is not available in the local stores,” said Nabeel, manager, Cosmos Sports.

Krasava craze

‘Krasava’ - the official match ball of the U-17 World Cup, manufactured by German sportswear giant Adidas, costs from C8,999.

It offers premium surface structure, enhanced grip, and in-flight visibility.The ball was seen on the field for the first time on October 6.