Football’s most coveted prize began its round-the-world journey this week with a ceremonial sendoff at the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Over the next nine months, the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will give millions of fans around the globe the chance to get up close and personal with the authentic, solid-gold trophy presented to the FIFA World Cup-winning country every four years.

The 92,000-mile tour will reach 89 countries in the run-up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, which starts June 12 in São Paulo. The route will include the first-ever pan-Latin America tour with events in 39 countries, as well as stops in 50 countries that have never hosted the trophy. In April, the tour will reach an estimated 1 million Brazilians on its final leg through the host nation's 27 capital cities.

“The Trophy Tour is a great opportunity to create excitement before the matches start and to bring to life the ‘World’s Cup’ – the most inclusive Coca-Cola campaign ever,” said Michel Davidovich, Coca-Cola Brazil’s general manager for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, who addressed reporters from 10 countries at the event. 

Consumers from Argentina to Vanatu can win free tickets to the tour via Coca-Cola promotions in countries along the global route. The events will give fans the chance to have a souvenir photo taken with the trophy, view a special hologram animation showcasing memorable FIFA World Cup moments, participate in interactive displays and enjoy other fun attractions.

Champions from each of Brazil’s five World Cup-winning teams – Zagallo (1958), Amarildo (1962), Rivelino (1970), Bebeto (1994) and Marcos (2002) – joined executives from FIFA and Coca-Cola at the Rio event. The experience evoked fond memories for the players.

"If you count all the footballers in the world, and then how many who have actually laid their hands on that trophy, you´ll realize how few there are. I was lucky enough to be one of them," Revelino told FIFA.com. "And now Coca-Cola is giving you the chance to see the trophy up close. It´s someone else´s turn now, but it all reminds me of 1970, of that marvelous conquest. The trophy gives me goose bumps."

During the press event, Coca-Cola unveiled details for the "World’s Cup” campaign, which will invite fans around the world to celebrate their shared love of football and the energy and passion of Brazil. Highlights include a visual identity created with Brazilian graffiti artist Speto, TV commercials, outdoor creative, digital and mobile programs, and legacy initiatives focused on recycling, community development and the Copa Coca-Cola grassroots football platform.

Coca-Cola also is partnering with Backplane to foster a global community of avid football fans at www.coca-colafansunited.com. The online platform will provide behind-the-scenes content and a forum for fans to discuss and debate the action.

"All 55,000 Coca-Cola system employees in Brazil are excited to deliver what will be our largest-ever marketing activation," said Davidovich, who noted that local efforts started a year ago when Coca-Cola invited Brazilians to help choose the name of the 2014 FIFA World Cup mascot and donate empty plastic bottles that were used to create seats in Rio's Maracanã Stadium.

Building on the inclusive and participatory nature of the "World's Cup" campaign, a just-launched ticket promotion will give fans in the host country the chance to bring 100 of their friends to a FIFA World Cup match.

"And if you don’t have 100 friends, you will when you win," Davidovich added.

Attendees also caught the debut performance of Coke’s FIFA 2014 World Cup anthem, “The World is Ours,” featuring singer David Correy and Brazilian street band Monobloco. The artists will perform the song at select FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour events around the world.

Fans can visit www.fifa.com/trophytour and the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/trophytour for upcoming FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour destinations and dates, exclusive interviews, photos and videos. Joel Robison, the tour’s official photo blogger, will live tweet from every stop at www.twitter.com/trophytour.

This is the third time FIFA and Coca-Cola have come together to bring the Trophy Tour to the world. Prior to the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, millions of fans had the opportunity to experience the magic of the FIFA World Cup in their home countries.