World Cup's Brazuca ball rated more stable than Jabulani
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/B7uL_gnZxOFReHoWmQAHEA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTY0MDtoPTQyNg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en_sg/News/AFP/e13fec695d81d285728e9a15481941fdeb00f688.jpg)
With every soccer World Cup, it seems, there is controversy about the ball -- the Jabulani used in South Africa was said to be so unpredictable as to border on the "supernatural". The Fevernova used in South Korea and Japan in 2002 was said to be too light and bouncy, while some complained that Teamgeist used in Germany four years later was slippery. On Thursday, scientists in Japan said the Brazuca which Adidas developed as the official ball for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, should hit the mark. It had a stable flight trajectory thanks to its shape and number of panels -- a record-low six, they wrote in the Nature journal Scientific Reports.World Cup's Traditionally constructed from 32 panels, more recently the ball that is re-designed every four years for the sporting world's greatest spectacle, had fewer -- Jabulani had eight panels and Teamgeist 14.
With every soccer World Cup, it seems, there is controversy about the ball -- the Jabulani used in South Africa was said to be so unpredictable as to border
![](https://www.soccer.com/wcm/connect/4ed9288b-17b5-4798-9b49-7469d26ef56d/476839173-790x569.jpg?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE-4ed9288b-17b5-4798-9b49-7469d26ef56d-lI19Cqz)
Study shows Brazuca is better than Jabulani
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/confirmed-web/image/upload/c_lfill,w_500,h_600/v1710401757/adidas-group/I3S/stories/images/adidas-world-cup-football-history-archive-gameplana-GettyImages-Goran-Djorovic-Ali-Daei-Tricolore-scaled-1440x9999_uahkde.jpg)
How adidas Has Shaped the History of World Cup Balls from 1970 to
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/giJHryLN0g8F12rMUXB0jg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTY0MDtoPTk5NQ--/https://media.zenfs.com/en_sg/News/AFP/9daa0cb04df104b4b0e8f649ad3f8f3248e921d8.jpg)
World Cup's Brazuca ball rated more stable than Jabulani
![](https://www.teamsnap.com/user/pages/05.community/sports-science/sports-technology/world-cups-new-brazuca-match-ball-will-be-a-hit/fans_world_cup.web.jpg)
World Cup’s New Brazuca Match Ball Will Be a Hit
![](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/344269.jpg)
Panels, seams, power: Brazuca, ready for World Cup - WTOP News
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.soccercleats101.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/World-Cup-Soccer-Ball-History-600x247.jpg?resize=600%2C247)
Complete Adidas World Cup Ball Set - A History Lesson - Soccer
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.soccercleats101.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Adidas-Brazuca-Ball-Packaged-600x462.jpg?resize=600%2C462)
Adidas Brazuca - Official World Cup 2014 Ball Details - Soccer
![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/5/14/1400064226600/8139ca5f-2a9d-4ac5-a274-0397f78577f2-2060x1236.jpeg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctYWdlLTIwMTQucG5n&s=1d2ccb5c06dd3b87b331c87b04a0474d)
Brazil 2014: the physics behind the Brazuca, Sport
![](https://jhupress.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/brazuca-ball.png)
World Cup Soccer Balls Can Be a Drag
![](https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best/streams/2013/December/131205/2D9855887-messi2.jpg)
Adidas unveils new World Cup ball, the Brazuca
![](https://static.dw.com/image/5642798_5.jpg)
World Cup ball – DW – 06/09/2010