The odds tell us that the Socceroos will get crucified at the World Cup but online bookmaker sportsbet is calling on Australia to ‘Keep the Faith’ – this morning flying a replica of the global icon that is Brazil’s Christ The Redeemer statue over the Melbourne skyline.
Blessed with a #KeepTheFaith hashtag, it is the tallest (and holiest) balloon to ever fly in Australia – standing at an almighty 46 metres high with a biblical sized 41 metre wingspan.
The hot air balloon took aeronautical engineers, designers and seamstresses 5 months of work in order for the balloon to rise from the ground and is actually bigger than the real Christ The Redeemer!
“Let’s be honest, the Socceroos need some divine intervention to win a single match at the World Cup!” said sportsbet.com.au’s Shaun Anderson.
“So, we’re calling on all Aussies to Keep The Faith in the Socceroos and show the world that miracles do happen – and if anyone is asking him, a bit of help from the big man upstairs wouldn’t go astray.”
View the video:
Facts & figures:
- Height – 46 metres
- Width – 41 metres
- Weight – 1 tonne (balloon alone 330kgs)
- Material – 3.2 kilometres of ‘Rip Stop’ nylon
- Hashtag size – 1.2 metres
- Time to construct – 5 months
- Built – constructed in the UK
- Same height as 25.5 Harry Kewell’s
- Same height as 21 Aaron Sandilands
- Same weight as 9.6 Paul Gallen’s