Along with the armies of deafening and allegedly distracting vuvuzelas filling the stadiums of the 2010 World Cup, much criticism was also directed at the tournament's Jabulani ball - with Nigeria player Dickson Etuhu going so far as to call it the "worst ball ever."
While the players themselves bemoaned the Jabulani ball's lightness and uncontrollability, fans apparently ignored any such negative feelings as the ball used in the World Cup final attracted enthusiastic bids on eBay, last week (July 16).
Listed on eBay, the "Jo'bulani" was one of a few used in the memorable and controversial 1-0 final between Spain and the Netherlands. In the end, the hallowed ball scored £48,000 ($73,412), with all proceeds donated to Nelson Mandela's HIV/Aids education and prevention campaign.
 The World Cup Final ball was nicknamed the 'Jo'bulani', with a special gold design - but it was surrounded by controversy |
"Unique pieces of sporting memorabilia have always been extremely popular on eBay," Ruth Szyszkowski of eBay told UK newspaper the Telegraph. "The interest in this particular piece seems... heightened by the controversy surrounding it."
The World Cup players themselves may have hated the so-called "supermarket ball", but one thing's for sure: Spanish football fans aren't complaining, and neither is the collector who has bagged themselves a singular piece of football history.
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