BALL FACTS
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The Official Ball for the World Cup 2006 , developed by Adidas, is called TEAMGEIST. It has a new 14-panel design (traditional is 32-panel). During the Tournament a Silver ball will be used - a Gold ball is expected to be used for the Final. Adidas will be supplying 2,000 balls to the Teams participating in the World Cup.
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The last Leather ball to be used in a World Cup Tournament was the TANGA ESPANA - used in the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
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In the 1930 World Cup Finals in Uruguay, 2 different balls were used. Argentina and Uruguay could not agree which ball should be used so each team supplied it's own ball for the 2 halfs!
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PLAYER FACTS
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The only player to win 3 World Cups was Pele (Brazil) - 1958/1962/1970.
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First player to be sent-off was Peru's Captain, Mario de la Casos in 1930. (vs Romania)
First player red-carded was Chile's Carlos Caszely in 1974. (vs Germany)
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The first Substitute was used in the 1970 World Cup Final in Mexico. The Soviet player Anatoly Serebrannikov was substituted in the game against Mexico. Prior to this, only injured players could be replaced.
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The only player to have scored for 2 different countries in different Finals was Robert Prosinecki (Yugoslavia 1990/Croatia 1998).
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The only brothers to have played in Finals were Jack & Bobby Charlton (England 1966) and Fritz & Otmar Walter (Germany 1954).
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The only twin brothers to have scored in the same Finals were Rene & Willy Van der Kerkhof (Netherlands) who scored a goal each in the 1978 Finals.
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Youngest player in a Final was Pele (Brazil) who was 17 years old when he played in 1958 Final.
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Oldest player in a Final was Dino Zoff (Italy) who was 40 years old when he played in 1982 Final.
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MATCH FACTS
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Lowest attendance for a match - 300 spectators Romania v Peru 1930 (Montevideo)
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Highest attendance for a match - 199,850 spectators Brazil v Uruguay 1950 (Rio de Janeiro)
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Most matches played by a Country - 87 by Brazil
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Most matches won by a Country - 60 by Brazil
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Most matches lost by a Country - 20 by Mexico
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Highest score in a Finals match - Austria 7 Switzerland 5 (1954 Switzerland)
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