Continuing along our line of soccer ball reviews comes the SELECT Brillant Super, a ball designed for the very top level of the game. Already in use as the official ball of the Danish league and national team, SELECT have been gaining plenty of momentum in recent times and this ball optimizes the rise of the company. To be honest, I have always though of SELECT as a company that created low level soccer balls and have stayed away from buying or using them in the past. But man, was I blown out of the water with the quality and performance of this ball.
It has taken much longer than anticipated to get this review up, but what that means is that I have had the ball in play for an extended period of time, making for a more accurate review.
Check out the latest versions of Brillant Super.
What you need to know about SELECT!
In reviewing the company, I found out that in 1962 SELECT introduced one of the greatest inventions in the history of soccer balls – the 32 panel soccer ball. Add to that the fact in 1974 SELECT moved away from cow leather and made the first hand sewn synthetic leather ball. Today practically all soccer balls are made of synthetic leather, regardless of brand. So, it seems there is much more to this company that meets the eye and they might know a thing or two about how to make a good soccer ball! You can learn more about the company on their website.
In Game Performance
It turns out SELECT do you know how to make a good ball! In game this thing offers the exact specifications you look for in a ball. It is easy to strike, moves as you expect and feels great to touch. What I deem to be a good ball is one that offers true flight when you strike it firmly on the sweet spot. I also expect that it won’t feel heavy on impact. The Brillant Super feels like it is just the right weight and in it consistently moved perfectly in the air. It is not going to be a goalkeepers worst nightmare, but what that means is that in game it is going to mean crisp passes and fast action (exactly what you really want to see). I also had the opportunity to use the ball in rainy conditions, and afterward the ball wasn’t heavy and didn’t seem to soak any water in. Overall, I never found any negatives about the ball – it is simply a great performer that offers true consistency while in play.
Shape and Size
One concern I always have with soccer balls centers around shape, specifically when they arrive deflated. Thankfully, the SELECT Brillant Super arrived with some air in it, and once I had it pumped up to the right specifications, it offered the perfect shape. In the 10-20 games since, it has never wavered and is still holds its natural shape as you would expect. As reference the ball was a size 5, which is suitable for youth and adult soccer.
Design
The ball comes in a 32-panel design, giving it a pretty classic look. There are four different colorways available in the range, the one I had is a white with red and black detailing and in my opinion is the best looking version. One single red stripe runs right around the ball and also includes a Danish flag just about the SELECT print on one side of the ball. On each panel, the white almost has a scale like design that sort of shimmers under lights when you look at it up close. Overall, it is a quality looking ball.
What others are saying
I used the ball with several different teams at varying levels, but the feedback was always positive and the standard comment on field was “Lets use the one with the red stripe”! We even used it in the celebrity Ireland vs England game and on several occasions, the goalkeepers delayed the game waiting for it to be returned to the field of play rather than taking the ball behind the goal! I think that says it all.
SELECT Pump and Pressure Gauge
SELECT also have a wide range of other products available including ball pump, and something I had never had before, a pressure gauge. The pressure gauge is actually super useful and ensures you get just the right amount of air in the ball before playing, well worth the investment!
Summary
In my opinion, the SELECT Brillant Super rates up with the best balls I have tested, very close to the performance of the Nike T90 Tracer, and way more dependable that the Adidas Jabulani. As always, I try to be as objective as possible in my reviews – but I couldn’t find anything negative to say on this one. The company’s biggest challenge will be competing with the bigger brand names like Adidas and Nike, when their top range balls are priced at a very similar range to the Brillant Super. Most people will simply choose the more well known brand, but if you get the chance to test the SELECT Brillant Super, or your team is considering a new set of soccer balls I highly recommend taking this ball into consideration.
Check out the current available listing of Brillant Super balls at Soccer.com.
Very good review! you said you play on different level teams? that must be awesome too
Good review and definitely agree it's a good ball. I still prefer the performance of the Nike T90's but have a few of the Select balls in the garage and don't hesitate to bring them for training. I much prefer them to Adidas' last couple of releases.
Hey Bryan
So if you could choose, which would be your ball of choice or your go-to ball, the tracer or the brilliant super?
great review. so how does this compare to the nike tracer? what are the differences between them?
by the way i bought the T90 tracer recently and it's great.
I have been a Select fan for years.
Their Numero 10 is an extremely popular ball, and whenever I bring it to a match (this ball has been USED – so it is now all white. No indication of brand visible at all.) this is the ball everyone wants to use over the Nike and Adidas variations people bring.
I would assume Select does not have the US advertising dollars of a Nike or Adidas therefore the limited brand visibility here in the US.
btw r u going to try the adidas finale 10 ball? as i heared some people saying that it is really good.
Very nice pattern design. Not too flash and somewhat classic. Is that their top of the range ball?
my school's varsity team just played a game with this ball. it's simply amazing! i was messing around with it during half time, doing all sorts of thing i cant with like the warmup balls
@Omar @Ali
both have their positives. I think the T90 Tracer is more advanced in terms of technology, but the Brilliant Select is going to offer a more consistent feel throughout the feel – particularly since it offers a pretty perfect 32-panel design.
Select also owns the german sports brand 'Derbystar' who is the sponsor of the top women league and the two best mens leagues in the Nederlands.
They use the 'Derbystar – Brillant APS' whith is the same ball as the 'Select – Billiant Super'
http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/pitchequ…
I see tons of Select balls in size 4 all over the place in youth soccer leagues in VA. They are making inroads in the USA. My kid is moving up to Size 5 ball this fall. In preparation and as a result of my experience with Select balls, I have already purchased a bunch of size 5 balls… Six yellow/red Numero 10's for training and nine Royales for match play.
If you shop around, they can be had on the cheap, especially @ Epic Sports. The Royale for $45 is really tough to beat. Watch out for stores that have the older models, as some are '06-'07 models, albeit they are good balls. The "Thor" felt nice, but had a white colored latex valve(?) and didn't hold air worth a darn, thus seems to be discontinued. Check Select Sport site for latest model configurations.
I honestly think in the under $50 street price range, Select makes the best ball going. Period. I want to try that Brilliant Super!
If you do buy a Select ball, they come deflated with the sides pushed in. Check out their site for correct initial inflation instructions, as this is critical for them keeping shape well. I do have to put a few pumps of air into them initially to "poof" out the sides and work them roughly round. I then deflate and reinflate per Select's instructions.
A bit late for my input but I’d like to throw in my two cents too. I understand that the review and most of the comments (if not all) come from the USA where SELECT balls might have not been that known, at least at the time. The name is “BRILLANT”, not “BRILLIANT” (no disrespect) 😊
For me, growing up in Cyprus and working at a family operated sports store, I had the privilege to come across the BRILLANT SUPER from the 80s, back then the ball had the standard 22 white hexagons and 15 black pentagons layout that ADIDAS first introduced with the 70s Telstar (Over the years the ball introduced new color schemes that revolved mostly around the one you reviewed). To put it simply, the ball felt quality built, equal if not superior to the Tangos that Adidas was producing at the time. Never have been a professional footballer but I always enjoyed training and playing with it, appreciating its good weight, flight and bounce. Over the years I made a collection of the various incarnations of it. To this day, it is my choice of playing. I believe the edition you reviewed is the 2010 that was also the official ball for the 200/11 Danish Super League.
Comparing to others; I dislike the plasticky feeling of all Nikes and current Adidas that for me give the impression more of a …softball. That is of course my opinion. For me BRILLANT SUPER remains a stable of the past, back where football was much more physical, genuine and less technical. I love that.
Thank you for your review, throughly enjoyed it
Lol I meant 20 white hexagons and 12 black pentagons, my bad
I finally got one of these balls… Exactly as reviewed here.
In a word, the Brilliant Super is DELIGHTFUL. Utterly lively and accurate with a very nice balance between bladder firmness and cover softness. Perfect touch, medium weight, and blasts off the foot with easy receipt. It does what it is told to do. No more, no less.
A fellow/gal would be remiss to overlook this ball when seeking the very best.
Interesting that nobody notices the ball isn't actually called "Briliant"… Read the ball guys.
Ok it seems like the tracer is a little better. Bryan how much more would you pay for the tracer ?
These balls are excellent, as is the pedigree of the company who manufactures them. Their core business is and has been making soccer balls for over 50 years.
I've never liked select balls or brine balls (the only balls my league plays with) they always felt hard and heavy to strike if this really is nice maybe I can talk my coach into buying a couple of these for match play.
Have purchased and used the Brilliant Super balls for match balls for our select club teams and been very pleased. Perhaps it is the similar weather here in WA state to the Dutch, because these balls do well in this environment as the review stated about not absorbing water, etc. Love the traditional 32 panel and the feel. You can get them on sale at Epic Sports as someone else posted, but also at sites like Soccer.com if you buying multiple balls. For size 4 teams, I went with the Select Royale for half the price of Brilliant Super and am pleased with them. Any of the Select Balls from the Numero 10 or Liga up in cost seem very good. We used the cheaper Select Club balls for practice one year, but they seemed to get very hard in cold weather and scuffed up too easily. Brilliant Super is the Dutch national team and league ball, so gives your players a chance to play with one of the best balls. Nike Ordem seems to be taking over all the other pro leagues in Europe, but you are looking at a $150 ball at that point and I can't justify it.