Soccer: Adidas balls-up chorus grows

Adidas' World Cup football 'Jabulani' means 'happy' or 'rejoice' in Zulu, but it has left many footballers anything but just days out from the tournament's opening.

Adidas balls have been used at the World Cup since Mexico 1970 and a new one is produced every four years. There is always dissatisfaction, largely from goalkeepers, who want something that flies straight and true. This time the chorus of complaint has been picked up by outfield players.

Brazil goalkeeper Julius Cesar said it was terrible and likened it to something bought in a supermarket, striker Luis Fabiano described it as weird, Italy striker Giampaolo Pazzini said it was a disaster, Denmark's Daniel Agger said it made some outfielders look like "drunken sailors" and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas likened it to a beach ball.

Regardless, it will be used in South Africa. When it was released, adidas proclaimed that it was radically new and would sail true because small dots on the surface would help improve reliability in the air. It said it would have "an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions".

What made them so sure it would be a success was the fact that it was the first ball to comprise eight thermally bonded 3D panels to make it a perfectly round football.

Italy's Gianluigi Buffon, though, thinks science has gone too far.

"There's a lot of talk about stadiums, infrastructure and TV and that's nice and all, but first we've got to worry about balls, spikes and jerseys."

The vagaries of altitude - a number of World Cup games will be played on the high veldt - means the ball will move faster and more unpredictably than at sea level. But this is the same for balls of every sport at altitude.

The ball, or "Joke-ball-lani," as some fans in South Africa are dubbing it, was tested by many of the game's top players and there were few complaints then. It has also been in circulation for many months for teams to practise with.

The complaining should subside once the competition kicks off on June 11.

If nothing else, it should make for entertaining viewing for football fans and that can only be a good thing.