The Adidas-designed “Jabulani” ball, the name of which means “to celebrate” in the Zulu language, has attracted a good deal of controversy at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Adidas claimed that their Jabulani ball would allow for enhanced control, flight stability and perfect grip in all conditions. However, complaints from World Cup players and coaches regarding the ball’s strange behaviour have detracted from the manufacturer’s marketing campaign.

“Standard” footballs are made with 32 hexagonal panels. The unpopular “Teamgeist” ball for the Germany World Cup in 2006 had only 14 panels, but the Jabulani ball has a mere 8 panels. The Jabulani is a heavy ball, nearing the FIFA maximum weight of 445 grammes, with bonded 3D panels creating a seamless sphere. Experts suggest that the ball’s erratic flight, which has bemused goalkeepers and strikers alike at the World Cup, may be due to the ball’s very rounded nature. In other sports, such as baseball, cricket and tennis, irregularities in the ball surface, such as ridges or exposed seams, enable players to exercise control over the ball.

Another contributory factor to the problems encountered with the Jabulani ball may be the internal stitching, enabling the ball to resemble a perfect sphere, which causes it to deviate appreciably more in flight, making its trajectory difficult to predict. Adidas claims that the 2010 is the best sphere in soccer history, its “grip and groove” texturing aiding smooth flight, whilst optimal contact with the boot is provided by fewer seams. However, this theory seems to be somewhat different in practice. Because of the ball’s shape, the contact time with the boot is reduced, imparting very little spin, resulting in a floating, unpredictable ball flight.

USA ‘keeper Marcus Hahnemann summed up players’ opinion, saying, “Scientists came up with the atom bomb, but that doesn’t mean we should have invented it.”