The Ball

Meet the 2018 World Cup football.

“This year’s World Cup ball is called the Telstar 18, a nod to the original design. While the panels have changed to just six propeller-shaped pieces to make the ball even more spherical, the black-and-white checkered design is back.”

A Vox video.

More:

“Satellites and microchips: the surprising tech behind the World Cup ball,” Marc Chacksfield, TechRadar

“From Russia With Lough: Adidas Telstar 18 Is Specifically Designed to Stop Dip & Swerve,” Sports Illustrated

“World Cup 2018: Adidas boffins produce ball specially designed to stop Cristiano Ronaldo’s free-kicks,” Duncan Wright, The Sun

“Fifa World Cup 2018 ball: Adidas Telstar 18 football ‘a problem for goalkeepers,'” Jamie Teather, Evening Standard

“Telstar 18: From satellites to microchips – The tech behind FIFA World Cup 2018 ball,” Manas Tiwari, Financial Express

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Germany: Wurst Crime Ever

Germany’s anti-trust agency (Bundeskartellamt) has fined 21 sausage manufacturers and 33 individuals $460 million for illegal price-fixing over two decades.  Gott im Himmel!

The ring is alleged to have met in Hamburg’s luxurious Hotel Atlantic. Wonder what they ate?

Sausages are central to the German identity, second only to beer. In related German crime news, thieves in the city of Krefeld broke into a warehouse and stole 300,000 liters (80,000 gallons) of beer. Ten truckloads. Worth $3 million. Right before Germany’s big World Cup celebration party.

More:

“German sausage makers in meaty fine over price-fixing,” BBC News

“Bundeskartellamt imposes fines on sausage manufacturers,” press release

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Mirabile Dictu! Germany Wins the World Cup!

Die deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft, the German national football team, has won the 2014 World Cup, defeating Argentina 1 – 0.

At the Vatican, Argentina’s Pope Francis will now retire and Germany’s Pope Benedict XVI will return to the Papal throne for the next four years. Consult L’Osservatore Romano for details.

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Mundus Calicem: Battle of the Popes!

The big Sunday news: Today’s World Cup Final is a match between Argentina, home of His holiness Pope Francis, and Germany, home of retired Pope Benedict XVI. Good Lord!

More:

“World Cup final? No, it’s battle of the Popes,” Sophie Gadd and Martin Belam, Daily Mirror

“World Cup 2014: Battle of the Popes,” Terry Elkady, Global News

“World Cup: Germany, Argentina each have pope in corner,” Eric J. Lyman, USA Today

“World Cup final: It’s Pope versus Pope,” Daniel Burke, CNN Belief

“Who has God on their side? Popes to battle it out in World Cup final,” Carey Lodge, Christian Today

Note: The referee? Italian, naturalmente.

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Spain 1, Netherlands 0

Spain bested Netherlands in an overtime World Cup match. The Dutch team had been undefeated in 25 previous contests. Perhaps this was payback for Holland’s defeat of Spain in the Dutch War of Independence (1648).

 

Image (“Philip II over William of Orange, 1-0”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Netherlands vs Spain

UPDATED here.

The final match of the 2010 World Cup will be played shortly. The competitors, The Netherlands and Spain, have a history. Lots of history, chiefly the overtime contest called The Eighty Years War or Tachtigjarige Oorlog (1568–1648).

The war began under the leadership of coaches William of Orange on the Dutch side, with Philip II coaching Spain. The outcome? Hint: the struggle is also called the Dutch War of Independence.

Back to today’s match: neither side has won the World Cup in the entire history of FIFA competition. How long is that? Eighty years.

 

Image (William of Orange vs Philip II) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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