Adidas Speedcell Match Ball Review

This is the ball that was used for the World Cup and the current match ball of the MLS by Adidas. It is definitely a quality soccer ball, but I’m not too sure about the performance. First off, just holding the ball in your hands is very impressive. It has a textured feel with all these little lines that cover the surface of the ball. What also struck me was how perfectly round that this ball is as it appears to be a perfect sphere. It also comes across as a very light soccer ball which is not always a good thing.

How does this ball perform? This is where it gets weird because this ball just doesn’t work like a normal soccer ball. It takes very random dips and swerves that are very unpredictable. Although this is most times a good thing when driving the ball towards the keeper, it doesn’t make for such a great experience in regular play. If the ball stays on the ground it acts as any other soccer ball, but as soon as it leaves the ground it good do anything. It just doesn’t react like any other ball out there when you kick it. I took the same type of shot with three different balls and they did the same thing, but when I took that same shot with the Jabulani it did nothing even close. I think that part of the reason for this is that this ball does not spin very easily. Even if you try to bend the ball, you will find that it has stopped spinning before it even reaches the net. This ball also makes connecting with your head on crosses a lot more difficult because the ball sometimes dips on you in the last five feet, making you look like the silly one in the end.

Overall, for $150 I can’t really recommend this ball. It’s good for juggling because it is really balanced, but using it in game is sometimes not the best idea. This is why many pros had made complaints regarding the ball. To say the least, this ball has a mind of its own while flying through the air, and sometimes that doesn’t help.

FINAL SCORE 7 out of 10