The official match ball used at the 2010 FIFA World Cup was the Adidas Jabulani. Adidas unveiled the ball for the tournament in South Africa, and its name comes from an isiZulu word meaning “to celebrate.”
The Jabulani featured eight thermally bonded, three-dimensional panels rather than the many stitched panels used on older World Cup balls. Adidas said the construction created a more spherical ball, while its textured surface was designed to improve grip and flight. The design used 11 colours, reflecting South Africa’s 11 official languages, the 11 host cities and the 11 players on a football team.
Players and goalkeepers criticised the Jabulani during the tournament because its light construction and aerodynamic behaviour could make it move unpredictably, especially on long shots and crosses. Those complaints helped make the ball one of the most discussed pieces of World Cup equipment.
The gold-coloured Jo’bulani was a special version used in the final between Spain and the Netherlands. It was related to the Jabulani but was not the standard match ball used throughout the tournament.