Tuesday, November 07, 2006

$2.4m Football

It is the costliest ball ever kicked. A football used in this year's World Cup final between Italy and France sold at auction last night for $2.4m. The gold-and-white ball, signed by every member of the winning Italian team, was bought by a football-mad 21-year-old believed to be connected to the royal family of Qatar.

The total of $11.25m raised at last night's Reach Out to Asia gala dinner in Qatar, supporting the education of underprivileged children across the continent, was the highest sum ever bid at a charity auction, according to the auctioneer, Henry Wyndham of Sotheby's Europe.

The buyer of the ball, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Observer: 'I was at the World Cup final myself so it has sentimental value for me. I have supported Italy since I was young.'

The dinner was attended by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former England coaches Glenn Hoddle and Sven Goran Eriksson.

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