Thaindian News

London, Jun 15 (ANI): England defender Jamie Carragher, who watched Germany crush Australia 4-0 on Sunday night, has said that Germans have an advantage in the World Cup as they have been playing with the controversial Jabulani ball since January.

German clubs in the Bundesliga sponsored by adidas have been playing matches with the ball since January 1, but the English Premier League uses a Nike ball because of its commercial tie-ups.

“It gives them an advantage. That is obvious. The ball is very different. Every training session we do we always start by passing 30 or 40 yards to each other just for that reason alone,” said Carragher.

“I am sure it has helped Germany. It is an advantage of course. We were watching the game and I had two or three texts about it,” the Daily Express quoted him, as saying.

“When you are creating a ball for the World Cup the idea is to create more goals. But every cross I have seen has been over-hit. It goes over the back post. I haven’t seen anyone get a free-kick over the wall yet. It just seems to sail straight over the bar.

“People thought there would be more goals but, apart from Germany, I don’t think there have been too many goals,” said Carragher.

Carragher’s view was backed by a spokesman for adidas, who claimed the countries who have had the most problems are those who have not practised long enough with the Jabulani ball. (ANI)