Everything You Need to Know: Jabulani

It's Christmas Eve, and that means that many of you will be unwrapping gifts tomorrow morning. For a lucky few, that could very well mean opening up a box to find Adidas' new World Cup soccer ball, Jabulani. With that in mind, USSD is going to fill you in on everything you need to know about the ball that will be gracing the fields of South Africa come next summer.

"Jabulani" comes from isiZulu, one of South Africa's 11 official languages. The word translates to mean "rejoice" or "celebrate", and apt name for a competition that will truly be a celebration of soccer and of South African growth and progress.

The ball design utilizes 11 different colors, which is significant on several levels. First off, it represents the previously mentioned 11 official languages of South Africa. This total makes South Africa one of the most culturally diverse nations in Africa. In addition, the 11 colors represent the 11 players that take the field for a soccer team. Further, The spiral-like design outlining several of the panels on the ball represents the facade of Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, which will play host to eight World Cup matches in total, including the opener and the final.

Jabulani features a unique panel design, utilizing spherically formed panels rather than traditional flat panels stitched together. The 8 panels are instead molded together to create a ball that is essentially as close to perfectly round as technology permits. The more spherical shape allows for more accuracy, which could see plenty of long-range strikes find the back of the net next summer, not unlike the 2006 World Cup. Moreover, Adidas has introduced new Grip'n'Groove technology that adds flight stability and improves grip on the ball through small bumps all over the surface.

So, although it will cost you a pretty penny ($149.99 on soccer.com), you will be getting a quality ball that displays all of the cutting edge soccer ball technology available, in addition to a vibrant design representative of South Africa's diverse and unique culture.

Happy holidays, everyone!