The African Nations Cup Ball
The Official Match Ball for the 2010 African Nations Cup is the Adidas Jabulani Angola. This ball is essentially the same as the Adidas Jabulani
ball, which will be the Official Ball of the 2010 FIFA World Cup – the only difference being that the ball will be coloured red, black and gold to reflect the colours of the Angolan flag.
Jabulani means ‘celebrate’ in Zulu and this ball is the 11th that has been produced by Adidas in their range of World Cup balls.
Adidas claim that the introduction of ‘grip and groove’ technology will allow for maximum control, stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions. Bearing mind that in the 199 qualifying games held before the 2010 African Nations Cup there were 506 goals scored (an average of 2.54 goals per game), there is a high chance that this tournament could be a very high-scoring spectacle.
The Adida Jabulani Angola is made from 8 thermally-bonded panels that have been specifically moulded to make what is claimed to be the roundest ball ever. The ball is slightly heavier than previous balls which adds to its stability.