Much has been said recently about the Adidas Jabulani, the match football for the 2010 World Cup, called the Adidas Jo’Bulani when in it’s golden World Cup Final guise. Players and coaches have been speaking about it more than probably any other ball, while Adidas and the Jabulani’s designer have added their comments as well.

But why the interest? Isn’t a football a football? To help you understand why a football is making so much news, here are some of the facts behind what has been said to be the most advance football ever made.

The Adidas Jabulani design.

Made with just eight panels, which are thermally bonded to reduce the drag caused by traditional stitching, the Jabulani panels are pre-formed to make the ball the most perfectly spherical ball Adidas have ever produced.

As well as this, the ball has a textured surface, called “Grip n Groove” technology, which gives the ball the most stable flight characteristics for total precision. The dimpled surface is also beneficial for grip, for goalkeepers and outfield players who will be able to produce more spin if struck well. The Jabulani has also scored the best results in FIFA’s testing to validate the claims made by Adidas.

So what’s the problem then you might ask? Well, goalkeepers in particular do not like the ball due to it’s unpredictable flight patterns, which is more obvious at high altitude, as will be the case in South Africa.

Keepers including Gianluigi Buffon, David James, Julio Cesar and Marcus Hanneman have all slated the ball and how many errors it will force upon them, as have outfielders including Luis Fabiano, who could only call the ball “weird”.

Adidas have been quick to defend the ball, pointing out that it has been used in international competition since December. So is the criticism just a case of early excuses? Is the case that the pressure is beginning to build? We shall wait and see…