Got this Adidas World Cup training ball last week after seeing it online, thought I’d try it out for my regular practice sessions. Always looking for gear that makes training stick better, you know? Wanted to share what went down.
Unboxing and First Touch
Ripped open the box – gotta say, it feels nice right away. Proper weight, not too heavy, not like some cheap plastic ones. The surface has these grooves and that kinda textured feel. Did some basic keepie-uppies indoors first. Held its shape well, bounced predictably off my foot and knee. Didn’t feel like it was gonna fly off sideways like cheaper balls sometimes do.
Taking it Outside
Took it to the local pitch yesterday evening. Wanted to test it proper with passing, shooting, the lot. Ground was a bit damp, so good test for grip.
Passing Drill:
- Started with short passes against the wall. Ball comes back clean off the surface, kinda ‘sticks’ to your foot when you trap it. The textured panels help, I reckon.
- Moved to longer passes with a buddy. Needed a decent strike, but it flew pretty straight. Didn’t wobble or dip weirdly.
Shooting Practice:
- Set up some cones. First few shots… kinda all over the place! Forgot this ball needs a cleaner hit.
- Adjusted my foot placement, focused on hitting through the centre.
- Felt way better – solid ‘thump’ sound, ball held its line much better towards the corners.
- That stitched panel? Gives you a good reference point for striking.
Things That Bugged Me & Fixes
- Slippery When Wet: Early on, when really sweaty or if rain picked up a bit, my first touch felt messy. Fixed it by wiping the ball down more often and wiping my boots too. Simple, but worked.
- Harder Impact: Felt kinda hard when heading it initially compared to my old training ball. Got used to it after a few tries, just gotta tense the neck muscles more!
- Control Takes Focus: Requires cleaner technique for trapping and shooting. Messy hits get punished more.
Overall Thoughts After a Week
This ball makes you train sharper. If your touch is off, or your strike ain’t clean, it shows. Forces you to concentrate. Feels solid, durable, seems like it’ll last unlike cheap ones that lose shape fast. Expensive? Yeah, kinda. But the feedback it gives you is worth it for improving.
It ain’t magic, gotta put the work in. But using this regularly? I reckon it’ll help build better habits. Good tool for the serious practice grind.