On the ball: Scorers like World Cup sphere; goalies give thumbs down
The ball that will be used at the World Cup in Germany probably will be praised as much as it is disparaged. The Teamgeist (team spirit) ball is the last in a line of 10 World Cup balls by Adidas. It features the latest in design and technology.
‘It’s an absolute nightmare,’ D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins says. ‘There’s going to be a lot of goals when the World Cup starts. But I guess that’s what people want to see.’
Major League Soccer and the Argentine first division are the two leagues that have been officially using the Teamgeist since the beginning of the year.
‘It knuckles a lot, especially if it gets anything on it: dirt, sand, water,’ says New York Red Bulls goalie Tony Meola, who has 100 U.S. appearances and is an alternate for the June 9-July 9 tournament.
Statistics provide little support for the ball’s detractors. MLS scoring through mid-May compared with last season is down (2.96 to 2.80). In Argentina, scoring dropped from 2.7 goals a game in the 2005 Clausura championship to 2.3. ‘Whenever we’ve introduced a new ball, goalkeepers don’t like it,’ says Antonio Zea, head of product marketing for Adidas’ U.S. soccer division. ‘They have to react quick”