Jabulani kick-about

The World Cup blues hit any football fan hard, as the competition comes to an end, and for a while an emptyness haunts our days. Here at George Dixon, however, some students have had the chance to enjoy the spirit of South Africa a little longer.

This summer, the new Jabulani ball was as big a star as any player. Older readers will note that historically, each new ball Adidas and FIFA have launched at a World Cup tournament has become a hot topic of debate, with its weight and trajectory discussed at length, particularly during the early stages. Is this to fill time, before the football really hots up? Or is it even an excuse for certain players under-performing, or making dreadful goalkeeping errors? FIFA Golden Boot winner Diego Forlan certainly had no complaints this time around, and nor did the victorious Spanish stars.

Thanks to our friends at Loughborough University, who helped design and test the Jabulani, some year 7 students have had a chance to kick one around and see for themselves what the fuss was all about.