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Those players participating in the upcoming FIFA World Cup have begun complaining about the Adidas ball that will be used. One compared the ball to something purchased at a supermarket.
Goalkeepers, strikers, defenders and midfielders alike are complaining about the World Cup ball.
The ball is called Jabulani, which means "to celebrate" in isiZulu, but not many are celebrating it so far.
"It's very weird," Brazil striker Luis Fabiano said Sunday. "All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It's like it doesn't want to be kicked. It's incredible, it's like someone is guiding it. You are going to kick it and it moves out of the way. I think it's supernatural, it's very bad. I hope to adapt to it as soon as possible, but it's going to be hard."
His teammate, goalkeeper Julio Cesar, called the ball "terrible".
Italy striker Giampaolo Pazzini said the same thing, calling it a "disaster."
"It moves so much and makes it difficult to control. You jump up to head a cross and suddenly the ball will move and you miss it," Pazzini said. "It is especially bad for the goalkeepers if it means they concede a goal because they can't judge the trajectory."
Typically, controversy follows each Adidas launch due to the new technology being introduced. Most of the time the ball becomes speedier and goalkeepers are the ones most affected by it. But this time the livelier ball is causing problems to field players, too, the Associated Press reports.
"It's sad that that such an important competition like the World Cup has such an important element like this ball of appalling condition," Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas said.
Adidas claims the technology is "radically new," and says that small dots on the surface would help improve reliability in the air. It said the ball would have "an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions."
Spain defender Alvaro Arbeloa, who also wears Adidas gear, had a simple answer when asked about the ball: "It's round, like always."
Be sure to place your bets on the 2010 World Cup at Sportsbetting.com here.
Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com
