To see the official shots of the World Cup ball...

To see our exclusive behind the scenes pics...


As you might expect from a German design and product, the formation of the ball was the end result of a long period of planning and testing.

The final product was the adidas "Jabulani", which means "to celebrate" and originates from the Bantu language isiZulu, one of the eleven official languages of the Republic of South Africa and the ball features a South African inspired design.

For the science bit, the ball also features a newly developed "Grip'n'Groove" profile, providing a more stable flight and grip under all conditions. Comprising only eight, thermally bonded 3-D panels, which for the first time are spherically moulded, as is always the case with ball launches, adidas claim the ball is "perfectly round and even more accurate than ever before".

The ball will be used in all 64 official matches in South Africa, and is available for Australians to purchase in leading retailers from December 5.

For the full and exclusive story of the ball, plus a behind-the-scenes look at the custom boot-making process of the top adidas players including Cahill, Beckham, Messi and Gerrard, see the February issue of FourFourTwo magazine, out next month.