Customer Reviews

adidas World Cup 2010 Glider Soccer Ball

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought the white version of this ball at Sports Chalet about a month ago. My purpose in buying it was mainly for Intramural college soccer games and for goal keeper training.

--Pros.
Aesthetically beautiful
Heavy: Allows for different flight patterns.
Good for indoor soccer
Ball stays on the ground more which demands more passing action rather than serving
Draws curious players (meet new people): I found it helpful if I walked onto a pitch alone and wanted to join an ongoing game.
easy to clean: the material, I guess, makes stains come out easily under some water and a paper towel

--Cons:
Heavy: More difficult to make it fly farther (frustrating if you are a keeper)
Tires your legs out when taking many free kicks in practice (but good for leg conditioning)

Sticky: I found the ball to occasionally get caught under my foot when I would do a sweeping motion over the ball while dribbling quickly.

My conclusion:
I now use this ball for my indoor soccer matches and whenever there is an outdoor match that does not matter if I win or lose. I found it too heavy for my own liking, but many of my friends liked it better. It is also great to use as an alternative ball when training a goalkeeper as it makes for different ball reactions and requires more force to stop with hands.

I caught a bit of World Cup fever and purchased this ball in size 5 on a whim. It's a replica of the official Jabulani match ball. Instead of using the traditional Buckminster design, it uses a different pattern of stitched panels which confer a rounder shape. Here's how I rate the ball:

1. Meets official weight and size of 420-445g and 68.5-69.5 cm circumference? At 10 psi, the ball weighs 440 g. This is near the upper limit, but acceptable. On the other hand, the ball measures only 67.5 cm in circumference, less than the official size limits. 2 stars

2. Durability? The ball's construction contains a butyl bladder, a polyurethane core and a nylon-wound skin. A butyl bladder is standard for balls; the match ball uses EVA. The combination PU/nylon skin gives this ball a nice soft feeling to the panels, but I expect it to be much more prone to scuffing and tearing than pure PU skins. Of course, it's impossible to determine durability without long-term ownership. 3 stars

3. Looks? This ball is nowhere near as colorful or attractive as the official match ball, which has 11 colors. This ball has only 4 different colors. It also has a multi-color stamp that says FIFA World Cup, South Africa 2010. But it's only a stamp, so likely to rub off with a little use. 3 stars

Overall, I would say I'm a little disappointed with the ball. It makes for a fairly cheap souvenir of the 2010 World Cup, but not a very good training soccer ball. There are a lot of better options available.

This ball is awesome for 15 dollars. The ball is made with 8 parts instead of 32, making the ball the roundest ball ever made. The sides are heat-sealed instead o stitched, making it last longer.

i got the black and gold one(southern columbia tigers colors) and it is awesome. May seem a little heavy at first, after a little usage, it really grows on you. when pumping air, you may think to air pump hole thing is broken, but it is a special way to hold air VERY well.just keep movin' it around until you feel it

Ball (in pink/white) was purchased as a giving tree gift but came deflated. While I think the child will love the ball, I now have to buy a needle and pump to inflate it. It would have been nice if the listing stated it came deflated.

I purchased this ball for my son as he began his new season. He loves it. It is perfect for an 8 or 9 year old kid who wants a quality ball.

If you are a prime member, this is a great value.

Ball has a nice feel to hit, seemed to be a better quality than other soccer balls we have owned. However, the graphics/markings began to wear off almost immediately.

This product is what we espected, my son loves it, good texture and color design, and also size number 4 it's better to control for him..

I got this ball for my toddler when I realized during the '10 world cup that we didn't have a suitable soccer ball for light play indoors and out.

I had to pick up a ball pump (the ball arrived deflated), but since we inflated it I have been really happy with the addidas ball. Needless to say my 18 month old is not exactly using it for intense competition though.

the ball is perfect for training , the colors of the ball are nice, easy to follow on the field.