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World Cup ball unveiled in Leipzig
LEIPZIG, Germany -- The ball that will be used at next year's World Cup finals in Germany was unveiled by manufacturers Adidas at the draw ceremony in Leipzig. The ball will be used for the first time in an Austrian first division match between Red Bull Salzburg and Rapid Vienna on Saturday. England captain David Beckham, who was given an opportunity to train with the ball with his Real Madrid teammates, said he was very satisfied with it. "I like the classical design, it is what balls should be like," he said. German clubs like Bayern Munich, who are sponsored by Adidas, are said to have turned down the opportunity of using the ball, called "Teamgeist", which means "team spirit" in German, in league matches, because they would not have been able to use it for practice sessions before the match. In a statement released by the company, Adidas said that the ball introduces a radically new 14-panel configuration that reduces the amount of three-panel touch points by 60 per cent and the total length of the panel lines by over 15 per cent. "This forms a smooth and perfectly round exterior allowing players significant improvements in accuracy and control," they said. "The Match Ball is designed in white and black, the traditional colors of the German national football team, and accentuated with the golden color of the World Cup trophy." Adidas said that only balls with a perfectly round and smooth surface react reliably and consistently when kicked and the innovative configuration achieves such a ball. "This has been tested by Loughborough University in England and in the Adidas football laboratory in Scheinfeld, Germany. "The tests provided proof that the overall performance of the 'Teamgeist' is unprecedented." Brazilian star Kaka said that he was excited about the ball. "It is excellent. It lies smoothly on the foot." The new Adidas "Teamgeist" is widely expected to beat all known sales records and is globally available in retail from December 10 onwards, selling at 110 euros. Adidas football chief Guenter Weigl earlier described the ball as the company's "key asset in its World Cup sales." 
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