Brazuca, the official ball for the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup, pictured during its launch in Rio de Janeiro on December 3, 2013.
The official ball to be used at next summer's World Cup, the "Brazuca", has been unveiled in Rio de Janeiro.
First to show off their skills with the new ball in a ceremony at a park in the south of the city were former Brazilian skipper Cafu and Dutchman Clarence
Seedorf, currently playing with Rio side Botafogo, and Brazilian Hernane of city rivals Flamengo.
"The ball is 100 per cent Brazilian, it's fantastic. It is a beautiful ball and really has all the characteristics and colours of Brazil," Cafu told the Globosporte website.
"I hope that it will be lucky for the Selecao (Brazil team)," he added.
The ball, weighing 437 grammes, underwent two and half years of testing by 600 players and 30 teams throughout the world.
The name "Brazuca" was decided in September 2012 after an internet-based opinion poll of Brazilian football fans.
It beat off opposition from "Bossa Nova" and "Carvanalesca".
It takes over from "Jabulani", the official ball of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. —AFP
