Champion - Ty Beanie Babies

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Champion

Ty family:	Beanie Babies
Style number:	04408
Variety:
Animal:	Bear
Exclusive to:
Special category:	FIFA Bears
Birthday:	none
Introduction date:	April 4, 2002
Retirement date:	Varies - see below
Height:	8.75 inches
ST generation(s):	Unique Champion swing tag
TT generation(s):	11
Theme:	Soccer

SWING TAG INFORMATION
Each swing tag contains information unique to the country represented by the bear. The Japan and Korea bears are available with one of two versions of swing tags, one in English or one in the country's native language.

Champion Beanie Baby - swing tag front

JAPAN SWING TAG (Japanese language)

Champion - Japan - Japanese language swing tag inside right

KOREA REPUBLIC SWING TAG (Korean language)

Champion - Korea - Korean language swing tag inside right

EXTRA FIFA SWING TAG (front & back)

Champion - FIFA swing tag front

CHEST BUTTON (close-up)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Ty produced 32 different Champion Beanie Baby bears; one for each country entered in the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament in 2002. Each of the bears was retired on the day its country was eliminated from the competition.

The tournament was hosted jointly by Japan and Korea. It was the first time this tournament was hosted by two countries. Brazil won the championship with a 2 - 0 win over Germany in the final game. FIFA is an acronym for Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

Champion Bears represent the following countries: (flag noses shown larger than actual size)
Argentina retired June 7, 2002	Belgium retired June 17, 2002	Brazil retired June 30, 2002
Cameroon retired June 11, 2002	China retired June 4, 2002	Costa Rica retired June 13, 2002
Croatia retired June 3, 2002	Denmark retired June 15, 2002	Ecuador retired June 3, 2002
England retired June 21, 2002	France retired May 31, 2002	Germany retired June 30, 2002
Republic of Ireland retired June 16, 2002	Italy retired June 8, 2002	Japan retired June 18, 2002
Korea Republic retired June 25, 2002	Mexico retired June 17, 2002	Nigeria retired June 2, 2002
Paraguay retired June 7, 2002	Poland retired June 4, 2002	Portugal retired June 5, 2002
Russia retired June 9, 2002	Saudi Arabia retired June 1, 2002	Senegal retired June 22, 2002
Slovenia retired June 2, 2002	South Africa retired June 12, 2002	Spain retired June 22, 2002
Sweden retired June 16, 2002	Tunisia retired June 5, 2002	Turkey retired June 3, 2002
United States retired June 14, 2002	Uruguay retired June 1, 2002

Ty also released 32 Champion Beanie Buddies to represent the countries in this tournament.

Champion - Beanie Baby and Buddy versions

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