MOSCOW – FIFA World Cup 2018 is right around the corner and the hype aroundthe tournament is proving that there’s no sport as universally loved asfootball.
Pakistan has a crucial role to play in this year’s mega competition aswell, even if our football team isn’t representing us on the stage. Yousee, high-quality footballs that are truly “Made-in-Pakistan” are going tobe used in this year’s mega event as well. It’s as good as any excuse forus to watch the World Cup!
Telstar 18, the official match ball for the grand event, has been producedby Sialkot-based manufacturing company Forward Sports. The football will besupplied under the name of famous sports brand Adidas, which is theofficial match ball supplier for FIFA.
“This is an honor for us, that we are going to provide footballs for theWorld Cup once again. We are very excited to meet this challenge!”- CEOForward Sports, Khawaja Masood
Most of us are familiar with this story. But here’s where it gets reallyinteresting this year.
As part of a marketing stunt, one of these Pakistani footballs has beensent to space! You heard it right.
The Made in Pakistan football has ended up at the International SpaceStation (ISS). Its a match made in heaven, with the world’s most technologyadvanced football inside one of the most advanced space stations out there.
Russian cosmonauts played with Telstar 18 for the first time aboard thespace station for promoting the FIFA World Cup 2018 which is scheduled tobe held in Russia from June 14, 2018. Ever wondered how it would feel tokick a football in zero gravity?
Pakistan exports 40 million footballs annually, making it one of thebiggest exporters of footballs worldwide. Pakistani manufacturing companieshave partnered with the world’s leading sports brands such as Adidas, Nikeetc. to produce more than 50% of the world’s footballs.
The footballs used in the previous edition of the World Cup held in 2014were also manufactured in Sialkot. It is a moment of pride for us. We hopethat one day we would see our own team contesting the world’s biggestfootball event with the big-name players.