The Crack was a football (association‑football ball) produced by the Chilean manufacturer Curtiembres Salvador Caussade. It served as the official match ball for the 1962 FIFA World Cup held in Chile. The ball’s construction consisted of eighteen rectangular panels, twelve hexagonal panels and six additional rectangular panels, giving it a regular spherical shape—a first among World Cup balls.
Prior to its use at the World Cup, the Crack had been employed for four years in the Chilean domestic league. It was notable as the last FIFA World Cup ball not manufactured by a multinational corporation. During the opening match of the 1962 tournament, referee Ken Aston expressed dissatisfaction with the ball and requested a European‑made alternative, which arrived during the second half. Contemporary reports suggested that some European teams were reluctant to trust the locally produced ball.
The Crack’s design and historical role have been documented in various football history sources, including museum collections and archival news articles.
