Allow me to say “eff”. Glad I didn’t put money on my Spain-Germany Final prediction.

Michael Ballack, midfielder for Chelsea and Germany captain, will miss the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup due to an ankle injury. He suffered the injury in the English FA Cup final on Saturday, May 15, 2010 after a tackle from Kevin-Prince Boateng. Ballack has played in several World Cups and was expected to be a major part of the German squad in the midfield. Below is the official statement from the German Football Association (DFB).

The tomogram showed a torn interior ligament and a partial rupture of the syndesmosis ligament of his right ankle, which for the time being will have to be immobilized and put in a cast. Ballack will then wear a specially designed shoe for two weeks. German team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt said, that according to today’s diagnosis, Ballack can look forward to a complete recovery, but that a minimum eight weeks will be required before the German skipper may consider returning to regular training.

Well, since that screws up a ton of stuff. To make me feel better, here’s footage of the coolest dive ever by Jurgen Klinsmann from the 1990 World Cup:

The World Cup 2010 Match Ball, the Jabulani. Best part about this one: the only way that Jon Conway ever gets his hands on one is to purchase it.

Eff that guy.

Translated literally, “JABULANI” means “to celebrate.” I will be celebrating our awesome World Cup draw tonight, that’s for sure.

Press release and quotes from Kaka, Frank Lampard and more “after the jump”

Cape Town / Herzogenaurach (December 4, 2009) – adidas and FIFA present the adidas “JABULANI,” the Official Match Ball for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. The “JABULANI,” which means “to celebrate” in isiZulu, features a South African inspired design and radically new technology. The new match ball will be available in stores starting December 4.

The newly developed “Grip’n’Groove” ball technology provides an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions. With only eight, thermally bonded 3-D panels, which are spherically molded for the first time, the ball is perfectly round and more accurate than ever before.

The Name:

The name ”JABULANI” originates from the Bantu language isiZulu, one of the eleven official languages of the Republic of South Africa, and spoken by almost 25% of the population. Translated literally, “JABULANI” means “to celebrate.” The name of the new match ball appropriately pays tribute to the passionate football celebration international fans will enjoy in South Africa next summer.

The Design:

Eleven different colors are used in the adidas “JABULANI,” the eleventh adidas World Cup ball. These 11 colors represent the 11 players in every team, the 11 official languages of South Africa and the 11 South African tribes that make the country one of the most ethnologically diverse countries on the African continent. The colorful design brings together the tremendous diversity of the country in harmonious unity. Four triangle-shaped design elements on a white background lend the ball a unique appearance in African spirit. Like the outer facade of Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium, individual design elements capture the colorfulness of South Africa.

3-D Panel Shapes:

The Match Ball for the 2010 FIFA World Cup features a completely new, ground-breaking technology. Eight 3-D spherically formed EVA and TPU panels are molded together, harmoniously enveloping the inner carcass. The result is an energetic unit combined with perfect roundness. Following the first tests, players all over the world are enthusiastic about the new ball:

Michael Ballack: “Fantastic, the ball does exactly what I want it to.”

Petr Cech: “You can feel the energy coming towards you, like a shot.”

Frank Lampard: “A very strong ball, true to hit.”

Kaká: “For me, contact with the ball is all-important, and that’s just great with this ball.”

Grip’n’Groove Profile

Aero grooves:

Aero grooves create the clearly visible profile on the ball’s surface. The Grip’n’Groove profile circles the entire ball in an optimal aerodynamic way. The integrated grooves provide unmatched flight characteristics, making this the most stable and most accurate adidas ball ever. The ground-breaking performance of the adidas “JABULANI” has been confirmed in comprehensive comparison tests at Loughborough University in England and countless checks in the wind tunnel and the adidas football laboratory in Scheinfeld, Germany.

Grip:

The new match ball’s surface has been given a facelift since the introduction of the “goose bumps” for the last European Championship ball. The “JABULANI” has a futuristic texture with a more extensive grip, giving players full control of the ball under all weather conditions.

adidas involves world-class athletes in the development and testing of its products. For the adidas “JABULANI,” adidas partnered with AC Milan, FC Bayern München, the Orlando Pirates and Ajax Cape Town.

In the future, adidas will continue to use innovative technology to extend its world-leading position in football production and thus strengthen its position as the authentic symbol of high-performance sporting goods for professionals and amateurs alike. adidas also intends to unveil more revolutionary innovations in match ball production for future UEFA, FIFA and CAF competitions. The adidas innovation team (aIT) is already working on innovations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil [via The Original Winger]