Nike must be jealous that Adidas got the official sponsorship for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, not to mention that they got to design the official game ball($130), because Nike has released a limited edition soccer ball "to celebrate the spirit of the World Cup." The white leather Futsal balls are decorated with an array of symbols that represent "diversity, behavior and skills shown by players," though Nike does not mention which symbol represents which player or skill. Any guess as to what the gnarled tree represents? Or the unicorn?

Only 64 of these balls will be produced and they will only be sold until the final game on July 9th, assuming that they don't sell out before then. Price: $225.

[Thanks, Dave]

These shoes are inspired by soccer cleats - to the point where they even have four removable studs on the heel. That may seem a little extreme, but for a soccer fan, especially during the World Cup, any way of getting into the spirit is a good one. Designed by Dirk Bikkembergs, his Ladies World Cup Shoes are ultra sporty in durable blue and green leather. Included are four additional studs, in the event that one gets broken as you cheer your favorite team to (hopefully) victory. Price (on sale) $195.

BusinessWeek has compiled a list of the world's richest soccer players, all of whom are playing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup this year. This also helps us see that, though the US may not pay its players as much as the players of other professional sports, soccer is indeed one of the most popular - and best rewarded - sports in the world. Here are the top five highest paid players and their annual incomes:

• Ronaldinho, Brazil - $29.2 million (pictured)
• David Beckham, England - $22.9 million
• Ronaldo, Brazil - $22.1 million
• Wayne Rooney, England - $20.4 million
• Zinédine Zadine, France - $19.1 million

We already saw designer soccer balls from Takashi Murakami and a whistle chair/sculpture for armchair referees, but Paul Smith has a whole line of products that he developed in celebration of the World Cup. First up is his take on a football, made of fake crocodile skin colored with bright hues. Unfortunately, unlike the Murakami balls, it is not intended to be used as more than a novelty and should not even be taken outdoors. This isn't a problem if you want to toss the ball around while watching the game on TV, though. The ball is £169.

If I had to guess, I would say that this soccer ball is aimed at art fans or collectors more than soccer fans. Soccer fans seem to be drawn towards balls that they can play with, or balls that have been signed by their favorite team, rather than a limited edition ball that seems intended for display. That said, despite the bold, floral pattern designed by Takashi Murakami, this ball could be used to play a game in the yard during a World Cup half-time. It is manufactured by one of the leading soccer ball companies, Molten USA, with FIFA approved materials and construction. What really mark it as a work of art, though, are the clear plastic display bag and the $400 price tag.

Football fans that can't make it to Germany for the 2006 FiFA World Cup are going to be spending a lot of time in front of the television in the next few weeks. Since you'll probably be trying to make calls from your living room anyway, why not check out this Whistle Chair from Mixko, which can fulfill your need for a seat as well as your desire to play referee. Built on a 1:18 scale of a real referee's whistle and made of stainless steel, the piece is set on its end as a chair, creating a seat with the body of the whistle, but it can also be turned on its side to act as a sculpture, so you can enjoy it even when the games are over.

[via Sensory Impact]

Victoria Beckham is hosting a huge auction at her pre-World Cup, "Full Length and Fabulous" party on May 21.   She has managed to get together over £2 million of luxury items for the sale, the profits from which will all be donated to Unicef. The items up for sale include a £1million diamond necklace from Asprey, his-and-her diamond-encrusted watches from Jacob & Co., valued at £600,000, and a £300,000 limited edition Bentley.

The bash will be hosted at the Beckhams home, dubbed Beckingham Palace. James Brown and Robbie Williams are performing for the 400 A-list guests, while top chef Gordon Ramsey will be doing the cooking. The guest list includes Prince Charles, Elton John, Liz Hurley, Tom Cruise and, of course, the rest of the English World Cup football team.

LG has just released their U900 phone, which is reported to be the first DVB-H phone in the world. DVBH stands for Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld, a slightly smaller version of same technology that works for digital TV. The phone and its digital imaging technology will first be available in Italy, where the carrier Hutchinson, the largest service carrier in Italy, has obtained the exclusive DVB rights to the 2006 World Cup. After the World Cup is complete and an Italian base has been established, the phone will be marketed globally.

The screen is 2.2-inches wide and users can watch for up to three hours on one battery charge. The phone also has a 1.3 mega-pixel VGA digital camera and 58 MB memory. Rumor has it that Samsung Electronics plans to introduce a DVB-H phone to the Italian market this month, as well.

[Image OhMyNews]

With the Germans in Berlin and the Americans in Hamburg, the British World Cup Team has decided to take up residence high in the Black Forest at the Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe. The hotel is situated near the Alsatian border in a renovated Baroque-style castle that was built between 1911 and 1914. It is one of the most famous spa resorts in Germany and pumps in its own spring water. At 2,500 feet above sea level, the hotel looks as though it is a castle in the clouds, straight out of a fairy tale. It has 90 guest rooms, all with high speed internet access and television, of course.

The only guests at the hotel for the month that the British football team intends to stay there, from June 5-July 9, will be the Football Association's party of 55 and the BBC staff covering the World Cup.

While the German team stays in Berlin, the US World Cup Team has made arrangements to stay at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Hamburg, Germany. The hotel is located in the center of the city and, while not having quite the same historical significance of the Schlosshotel Berlin, it is hardly lacking. The 282-room hotel occupies the top floors of the Levantehaus building, an old but historic warehouse that has been stripped and luxuriously finished. Ultramodern with a hint of old-fashioned charm in its decor, the rooms are largely minimalist. It offers all the usual amenities found in modern hotels, including high speed internet and satellite television, as well as an indoor pool and health club.

The largest room at the Hyatt is the Presidential Suite. At 1,500-square feet, the suite offers views of the city from the living room and, in addition to the highly detailed decor throughout the suite, a marble bath with a waterfall shower. Access to a private concierge is also provided.

With the 2006 World Cup coming up, teams are making their travel arrangements to stay in Germany for the duration of the 64-game tournament. The German team does not have far to go, but will be staying at the Schlosshotel im Grunewald, a 5-star luxury hotel in Berlin. It is situated in what was formerly the seat of the von Pannwitz family in 1914, essentially a palace that was known for its elegance and extravagance. The hotel offers 42 rooms and 12 suites, all with full amenities that include a wide array of personal technologies, from the standard minimum of three telephones and two lines per guest room to high speed wireless internet access.

The largest room is the Kaiser suite, which is fit for a king at 5-rooms and nearly 2,000 square feet. It is furnished in historic, antique elegance with silk sofas and marble bathrooms. The suite runs about $3,600 per night.