The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa was nearly a perfect tournament, except for one thing, the ball. The “Jabulani” was the official match ball of the 2010 World Cup, and experts believe it’s one of the worst match balls in World Cup history.
For those who don’t know, the word Jabulani means, to celebrate. Sadly, this ball did the complete opposite, and made it a living nightmare for players on the pitch. As the ball was kicked, it had a mind of its own. The movement had goalkeepers off their feet as the ball was dipping mid-air and, on the ground, and ultimately ended in the back of the net.
For the attackers, they too had difficulty taming a wild beast like the Jabulani. Their shots would rise high from the strengths of their shots into the stands. When kicked, players said the ball felt like a giant beach ball, not knowing what direction the ball was going in.
Despite having many negatives, the Jabulani did have some good moments. The crazy dips and knuckle movement allowed players to score some of the best goals of the entire tournament.
World Cup Soccer Talk 