Jabulani is the official ball of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and is already one of the most sought after soccer balls in the history of the game. Maybe this is because the 2010 World Cup match has generated more interest than any other FIFA World Cup in history, but I think it’s because the Jabulani looks so exotic, so African and also, it’s a new type of soccer ball for fans and players alike. The company Adidas designed this ball for the 2010 World Cup, as they do for every World Cup, and they have really raised the bar for soccer technology and style with this new soccer ball.
Adidas’ official 2010 World Cup match ball is sold worldwide, mostly online, although some soccer stores sell one or two. You can buy an official Jabulani ball or a replica from the World Cup souvenir shops online, where you can have your ball delivered wherever you are. The best deal on an official size 5 Jabulani can be found at World Cup soccer stores online right now for as little as $59.00 US! This is a much lower price than the official Adidas site which sells the ball for $150.00! The shipping costs will depend on where you want the ball to be sent to you. If you want to spend less money, consider purchasing a Jabulani replica, available in sizes 5, 4, and 3 for the practice, team, and kids’ collections. The Jabulani replica retails for as low as $18.99 and looks virtually identical to the official ball.
Jabulani means “feast or celebration” in the Zulu language, representing one of South Africa’s many tribal cultures. The design contains 11 different colors in an African-style woven elliptical pattern that spirals around the ball on a bright white background. The 11 colors used in the woven graphic symbolize the 11 players on each team, the 11 official and tribal languages spoken in South Africa, and the fact that the Jabulani is the 11th Adidas World Cup ball. For a sports ball this is a delight to behold and sometimes I enjoy watching the ball as much as the players! So beautiful, so cool; only to be kicked around the world by hundreds of the strongest soccer players and possibly millions of aspiring fans and future soccer stars. You’d think it wouldn’t even matter what the soccer ball looked like; It’s who wins the game that counts, right? Well, maybe not quite! The Jabulani soccer ball, designed for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup event, is so beautiful to look at that everyone wants one, even non-soccer fans. Adidas designs a different official ball for each World Cup and many fans around the world collect them, keep them in special showcases or in original packaging to preserve the perfect state of the ball. This fan behavior can finally be understood now that such an attractive ball has been released.
The new technology that makes the Jabulani ball different are; Air and traction grooves that are molded into the surface are designed to provide increased grip and control, but can also be responsible for additional volatility and spin on the trajectory. The Jabulani apparently has a more perfect spherical overall shape that was supposed to provide better shooting accuracy, but we haven’t seen that play out in the field yet. I wonder if all the players had enough time to practice with the new ball? The other new technology used to create the Jabulani is that it is assembled with just 8 panels that are seamlessly molded and thermally bonded. NO stitches to interfere with the spinning motion of the balls. The Jabulani really does spin like a dervish, you can tell the difference when you watch him fly across the stadium on those long passes.
Although there have been many regular gripes and complaints about the Jabulani from some players, it really is the coolest soccer ball ever. It goes faster and has trajectory differences that are creating a bit of leeway in the game, which means players need to hone some twisty new turning skills. Scoring has been low so far in the World Cup tournament and perhaps Jabulani is making it more difficult for scorers to control the ball over longer distances. Obviously, the ball presents challenges for goalkeepers and it’s harder to get an exact read on where the heck Jabulani is heading next on a long shot. He just waits until there is wind! Some players have noted that it is too light and moves like a beach ball! Oh!
After the first days of matches, it seems that the players are getting used to the new type of ball; there has already been an improvement as matches progress and the ball is more up for grabs. The official match ball cannot be changed once the World Cup has started, so players will just have to adapt. All players will have to make the same adjustments, so the playing field is level even if it introduces some new twists to how you play the ball. These are the best soccer players in the world and they are quite capable of understanding and acting on any small change on the ball. Regardless, the weather always has a pretty profound effect on the ball and players have had to adjust to these differences in ball movement due to temperature and altitude ever since the game began.
The Jabulani is now the ball best known by name in the history of World Cup match balls; most soccer fans can’t even name any other ball. This one is very special and will be remembered for a long time for its beauty, its street style and its controversy, just like the African continent. Congratulations to the company Adidas for a great design and interesting interpretation of African culture.