Another World Cup, another nervous time for England fans, and another ball that’s causing the World’s best goalkeepers much concern. The new ball has come under much criticism once again from the lights of England stopper David James and Australia's Mark Schwarzer.

But a World Cup wouldn’t be a World Cup if the men between the sticks weren’t complaining about the round piece of leather.

So In the interest of all football fans and the World’s best goalkeepers here is more information on the ball that is known as the “Jabulani”.

On December 4th, Adidas and FIFA officially unveiled the Adidas “JABULANI”, the Official Match Ball for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. The “JABULANI”, which means “to celebrate” in isiZulu, features a South African inspired design and radically new technology. The new match ball will be available in retail from December 5th onwards.

The newly developed “Grip’n’Groove” profile provides the best players in the world with a ball allowing an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions. Comprising only eight, completely new, thermally bonded 3-D panels, which for the first time are spherically molded; the ball is perfectly round and even more accurate than ever before.

The name:

The name ”JABULANI” originates from the indigenous language isiZulu, one of the eleven official languages of the Republic of South Africa, which is spoken by almost 25% of the population. Literally translated, “JABULANI” means “to celebrate”. Football is a passion that unites the world. The name of the new match ball appropriately pays tribute to the passionate football celebration international fans will enjoy in South Africa next summer.

The design:

Eleven different colors are used in the Adidas “JABULANI”, the eleventh Adidas World Cup ball. These 11 colors represent the 11 players in every team, the 11 official languages of South Africa and the 11 South African communities that make the country one of the most ethnologically diverse countries on the African continent. The colorful design brings together the tremendous diversity of the country in harmonious unity. Four triangle-shaped design elements on a white background lend the ball a unique appearance in African spirit. And like the outer facade of Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium, individual design elements also capture the colorfulness of South Africa.

So there you have it, all the information you need on the ball that is sure to cause chaos in nine days time.

Written By Jonathan Moulds

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