jabulani Archive

  • Jabulani designer defends World Cup ball, says players just not used to playing at altitiude

    Jabulani designer defends World Cup ball, says players just not used to playing at altitiude

    Posted on June 2, 2010 | No Comments
    The lead developer of the Jabulani, the ball that will be used in the World Cup, has hit back at his noisy critics. Dr. Andy Harland, who helped design the ball at England's Loughborough University's Sports Technology Institute, says that what many players are complaining about now, that the ball "moves strangely" or whatever, can be attributed to using the ball at altitude. The ball has been around since December, and he has heard zero complaints until now. So what gives?

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  • It starts: Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas complains about Adidas Jabulani ball ahead of World Cup

    It starts: Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas complains about Adidas Jabulani ball ahead of World Cup

    Posted on May 29, 2010 | 1 Comment
    Right on cue, then. 'Twas only a few days ago that I had mentioned the grand tradition of World Cup goalkeepers complaining about the ball used in the tournament, and we now have our very first complaints (at least I think it's the first). Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who's probably the best goalkeeper going into the tournament (it's either him or Júlio César, of Brazil), said after Spain's 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia in a pre-tournament friendly about an hour ago: "It's a little sad that in a competition as big as the World Cup to have such a poor ball [the Jabulani]. It's not just the goalkeepers complaining, but the outfield players as well." Here we go~!

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  • Will the fancy-pants Jabulani perform at altitude at the World Cup?

    Will the fancy-pants Jabulani perform at altitude at the World Cup?

    Posted on May 25, 2010 | No Comments
    Football (soccer) writers are typically terribly serious about what they do. Relax, buddy, it's just a game. A fun game, yeah, but just a game. The Guardian's Barry Glendenning does things a little bit differently: he's actually good! In a column today, Glendenning prepares us all for the inevitable complaints that will surround the Jabulani's performance at the World Cup. It's a time-honored tradition, complaining about the new ball: the ball is too heavy, the ball is too light, the ball swerves too much, the ball swerves too little, etc. Most accurate ball ever created? Obviously you haven't seen a Michael Carrick pass.

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  • Meet the adidas Jabulani, the ball that will be used at the 2010 World Cup

    Meet the adidas Jabulani, the ball that will be used at the 2010 World Cup

    Posted on December 4, 2009 | No Comments
    Happening right now (well, when this first appears on the front page) is the draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It's a big deal, and will lead to endless debate on call-in radio shows all over the world: what's the real group of death? Does [our country] have a chance? Can anyone beat Brazil or Spain? And so on. But the World Cup is pretty useless without, you know, the ball. So, presenting the adidas Jabulani, the ball that will be used during the tournament. There's a lot going on in that ball, believe me.

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