The German brand seems to enjoy playing ball a lot and has been making references to the noble Breton sport since the 80s
Volkswagen and the CBF announced that the German brand is the new sponsor of the Brazilian men’s and women’s football teams. Along with this, it was confirmed that a special edition of a car celebrating the fact will be launched.
In recent years, Volkswagen has sponsored major national events, such as the Rio de Janeiro carnival, Rock In Rio, the Barretos Cowboy Festival and The Town. All were accompanied by special editions in its car lineup.
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However, VW’s relationship with football is quite traditional. This even yielded some editions that are still sought after by fans today. Let’s remember some of them from Brazil and the world.
Volkswagen has already named the Gol with a football theme, so it was natural that its first special edition is related to the sport. She went to the World Cup, which came in 1982 to celebrate the championship held in Spain.
For most fans of the brand, this version is considered the best special edition it has ever made in Brazil. The first Gol Copa came with Passat alloy wheels, a black strip on the trunk lid, a gear knob simulating a soccer ball, fog lights and a sticker on the rear window with the name of the version.
The World Cup edition was reissued in 1994, for the World Cup in the USA. This time based on the CL 1.6 AP, which added the GTi’s spoiler, tinted taillights, green windows, plastic hubcaps and body-colored mirrors.
The third and final edition of the Copa do Gol came in 2006, when the event was held in Germany. The car had yellow paint, a 1.6 flex AP engine, alloy wheels and a grille painted in black. This style was widely copied at the time by owners of other versions.
After these three versions, Volkswagen no longer made the World Cup version and started using the name Seleção.
The 2002 World Cup, held in Japan and South Korea, was the last in which Brazil was champion. Volkswagen honored this event with the Gol, but this model is not as remembered as the fifth championship.
The name used this time was Sport, with an emblem that alluded to the countries that hosted the World Cup. The reason for the change was a rule of the event, which only allowed the use of “Cup” in products of sponsoring companies.
The basis for the Gol Sport was the 1.0 16v model, which at the time was the most powerful in the segment. It received black mask headlights, CD-player, airfoil, Santana hubcaps, fog lights and smoked taillights. Optionally, the buyer could choose the yellow paint of the Turbo version, alarm, dual airbag, air conditioning, GTI alloy wheels and electric adjustment of the mirrors.
In 2010, Volkswagen started to sponsor the Brazilian national football team and celebrated this with Gol Seleção. The edition came to accompany the World Cup held in South Africa.
The car had the shield of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) embroidered on the front seats, dark blue paint, alloy wheels and fog lights. The engine was the 1.0 8v.
The Seleção edition was reissued in 2013, a year before the World Cup was held in Brazil. This time it came to the Gol, the Voyage and the Fox, with more exclusive details.
This time the CBF shield came on the fenders and the fabric of the seats had hexagonal reliefs alluding to a soccer ball. The Gol and Fox used exclusive alloy wheels and only the Gol could come with yellow paint.
As Volkswagen has returned to sponsor the Brazilian team, this edition is the most likely to return. The manufacturer sponsoring the 2026 World Cup is Hyundai.
Volkswagen is a German brand and would not miss the chance to be a sponsor of the 2006 World Cup, held in its homeland. Here she celebrated with the last Goal Cup, in Europe she made the Goal edition — “goal” in English.
The great differential of the Goal edition was to bring the Copper Orange Metallic paint, exclusive to the model. The equipment package came standard with several items that were optional, such as alloy wheels, air conditioning, CD-player, reverse sensor, heated seats, cruise control, heater in the windshield nozzle, headlight washer and fog lights.
Volkswagen held a new edition of the World Cup in Europe in 2010, with the Team line. This time the winners were the Golf, the Polo, the Golf Plus, the Tiguan and the Scirocco. This time the model had the benefits of discounts on optional packages and special financing conditions.
The CBF is not the only football confederation sponsored by Volkswagen, the brand has a partnership with more than 10 years with the French Fédération Française de Football (FFF). To celebrate this, 23 units of the ID.4 Edition Limitée FFF were made.
The car has a decoration full of references to the French flag. The paint is white. with blue and red stripes on the C-pillar, grille and trunk lid.
The FFF logo appears on the fenders and on the plate installed on the center console, which bears the unit number. It is based on the ID.4 Pro Life Max, the longest-range model that can run up to 550 km on a charge.
