• Trophy Tour headed to 2014 World Cup winners Germany
• World Cup champions Pierre Littbarski and Per Mertesacker among attendees
• Fan zone open at the Germany-Spain friendly match in Dusseldorf

With the countdown to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ continuing apace, the reigning champions Germany were reunited with the Trophy they lifted at the Maracana in July 2014, as the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour™ by Coca-Cola came to Cologne and Dusseldorf.

The Trophy arrived at Cologne Airport on Thursday 22 March, and was greeted by World Cup winners Pierre Littbarski (West Germany, 1990) and Luca Toni (Italy, 2006) – as well as the city’s mayor Henriette Reker.

“It’s great to hold this Trophy in my hands again, especially in the country I played in and won the World Cup”, Toni said.

Per Mertesacker, who lifted the Trophy in 2014, took part in a range of media events before appearing alongside Littbarski at the German Sports and Olympic Museum.

“I still think about the Final a lot. I’ll never forget the moment I first held the Trophy,” Littbarski said.

A fan experience at the same venue was then open to the public on Friday, with a fan zone event taking place ahead of Die Nationalmannschaft’s friendly game against Spain in Dusseldorf. At both events, fans were able to get a precious photograph taken with the iconic Trophy.