They will be stroked around by stars such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but where do the more than 3,000 “Brazuca” balls to be used at the monthlong tournament starting June 12 come from?
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Employees conduct a final check to fix any cavities in the seams of balls inside the football factory that produces official match balls for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, in Sialkot, Punjab province on May 16, 2014. It was when he felt the roar of the crowd at the 2006 World Cup in Germany that Pakistani factory owner Khawaja Akhtar first dreamt up a goal of his own: to manufacture the ball for the biggest football tournament on the planet. Last year he finally got his chance - but only 33 days to make it happen. Sara Farid / Reuters -
An employee collects ball panels from a machine that applies adhesive at the edges inside the football factory that produces official match balls for 2014 World Cup in Brazil, in Sialkot, Punjab province. Sara Farid / Reuters -
Employees work in the production area inside the football factory that produces official match balls for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, in Sialkot, Punjab province. Sara Farid / Reuters -
An employee takes finished balls out of the production area inside the football factory that produces official match balls for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, in Sialkot, Punjab province. Sara Farid / Reuters -
An employee adjusts outer panels of a soccer ball inside the football factory that produces official match balls for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, in Sialkot, Punjab province. Sara Farid / Reuters -
An employee conducts the final check to fix any cavity in the seams of a ball inside the football factory. Sara Farid / Reuters -
An employee hand-stitches the panels of an Adidas AG "Brazuca Replica Glider" football on the production line at the Forward Sports Ltd factory in Sialkot, Punjab. Asad Zaidi / Bloomberg -
An employee places an Adidas AG "Brazuca Replica Glider" football into a trolley on the production line at the Forward Sports factory in Sialkot, Punjab. Asad Zaidi / Bloomberg -
An employee uses hot air as she sticks outer panels on a football inside the football factory that produces official match balls for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, in Sialkot, Punjab province. Sara Farid / Reuters -
Employees work near official 2014 World Cup balls at the final stage of their quality check inside the football factory that produces official match balls for the World Cup in Brazil, in Sialkot, Punjab province. Sara Farid / Reuters -
An employee holds a hose inserted into the valve of an Adidas AG "Brazuca" football in a thermo-bonding molding machine on the production line at the Forward Sports Ltd factory in Sialkot, Punjab. Asad Zaidi/Bloomberg -
Employees conduct a final check to fix any cavities in the seams of balls. Sara Farid / Reuters -
An employee adjusts outer panels on a football inside the factory. Sara Farid / Reuters
In pictures: Making the official Fifa World Cup 2014 Adidas Brazuca football
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