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WC final to have golden ball
The World Cup final on July 9 will be played with a golden ball which the winning team can keep and use for another four years.
The World Cup final July 9 will be played with a golden ball which the winning team can keep and use for another four years, The Times reported on Tuesday.
"For the first time since 1994, the World Cup ball will be black and white — except in the final.
"The Times can reveal that football's showpiece event will be played using a gold-coloured ball that the winners will be entitled to use in all matches for the next four years," the report said.
The ball's manufacturers Adidas did not want to confirm the report, with company spokeswoman Anne Putz at the German headquarters in Herzogenaurach only saying that the ball used in the final will have at least "golden components".
Putz said she did not know whether the winning team was allowed to keep the ball.
The ball used at the World Cup is named Teamgeist (team spirit). The black and white colour is that of the German team kit, and the ball also has golden accents in reference to the colour of the World Cup trophy.
