Corinthians join elite group of badge-wearers

Newly-crowned FIFA Club World Cup Champions Corinthians are the latest member of the exclusive group of football teams who have the honour of wearing the FIFA World Champions Badge. A symbolic handover of the badge was made to coach Tite by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter following the South American Champions’ victory against Chelsea in yesterday’s final match. The set of badges will now be worn on the players’ shirts for every competitive match until the final of the FIFA Club World Cup 2013. The badge, featuring an image of the FIFA Club World Cup trophy and the text ‘FIFA World Champions 2012’, will act as a physical reminder of the team’s successful 2012 in which they first won the Copa Libertadores in July before being crowned World Champions in Japan. Corinthians take over the honour of wearing the badge from FC Barcelona who have twice sported the symbol on their playing kit following their victories at the FIFA Club World Cups in 2009 and 2011. First introduced for the FIFA Club World Cup in 2007, the badge has also featured on the playing kits of AC Milan, Manchester United and Inter Milan. The FIFA Club World Cup Champions badge is just one in a series of FIFA World Champions Badges which are awarded to the winners of selected FIFA events. The first team to be presented with the FIFA World Cup™ Champions badge was the Italian men’s national team, champions of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, with the Spanish national team taking over this honour after their success in South Africa. Germany’s women’s national team also wore a Champions badge in recognition of its success in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007, an honour which was then bestowed upon the Japanese women’s national team following their triumph in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011™.