It was no surprise that the momentum built and heated up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. This particular tournament is the largest and most watched sporting event in the world with 30 billion viewers over the course of the event. From a business perspective, it is the most important platform for sporting goods companies to market their brands. Brands are appealing to raise their profile and sales by capitalizing on the passion surrounding the World Cup, but while some are official sponsors, others simply benefit from any desirable side effects. Football was a match played between two teams of 11 players each, 10 players on the pitch and one goalkeeper per team. The match lasted 90 minutes, consisting of two halves of 45 minutes each. It was played with a round ball, on a rectangular grass pitch with a goal at either end. Excluding the goalkeeper, the ball was controlled only with the feet, legs, torso and head (the use of hands or arms was prohibited) and the team that scored the most goals at the end of the match won. Football was the most popular sport in the world, both in terms of spectators and participation, and it continued to grow. In 2006, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), soccer's international governing body, estimated that 265 million people worldwide played soccer, up from 242 million in 2000. Professional leagues existed throughout the world, although the best talents and most famous clubs were in Western Europe, concentrated in England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France. Since the early 1990s Western European professional teams have become increasingly globalized, with stars from South America, Africa and Asia playing in the major leagues. The World Cup, FIFA's flagship... in the center of the card... .and linked to the brand. They also gave fans a reason to use word of mouth. When fans made their Nike videos, they passed them on to everyone they could to promote themselves while also promoting Nike. Nike Football's revenue had grown from $40 million in 1994 to more than $1 billion in 2008. In just under 15 years, it had reached a level of sales that took some of its competitors more than 50 years to reach . While not the end goal, the 2010 World Cup was another unique moment for Nike to create separation between the company and its competitors. They knew they had to seize this opportunity and bring the team together to deliver a campaign focused on delivering innovative products and compelling consumer experiences. Creating deep connections with consumers during the World Cup would be vital to fuel the continued growth of Nike football in the years to come.