世界杯吉祥物制造商申请破产

World Cup mascot maker files for insolvency

BERLIN: The German manufacturer of World Cup mascot "Goleo" has declared itself insolvent.

German media reports said sluggish demand for the cuddly toy lion was partly responsible for the firm's problems.

"We filed for insolvency," a spokesman for the Bavarian toy maker Nici AG said, declining to comment further.

The firm, based in the Bavarian town of Altenkunstadt, cited its inability to make payments as its reason for filing for insolvency, a spokesman for the district court in Coburg said.

The product - a grinning lion with a thick mane – is on sale ahead of the World Cup at 19.95 euros ($NZ41.88).

He wears a soccer shirt with the number 6 but is trouserless. His sidekick is a talking football called Pille.

Goleo has been derided for having little relevance to Germany, whose national symbol is an eagle.

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柏林：德国生产制造2006年世界杯吉祥物“格里奥”的厂子已经宣告破产。

德国媒体报道称对于吉祥物毛绒玩具抱抱狮缓慢的销量间接地导致了此家工厂现在的问题。

“我们已经申请了破产保护，”这家叫作Nici AG的巴伐利亚的玩具制造商的发言人如此说，并拒绝作更多评论。

当地一家法院的发言人称，这家座落于巴伐利亚的阿尔特恩肯斯塔德特小镇的公司，以支付能力为由申请的破产。

他们生产的产品——咧着牙乐的、长着厚厚鬃毛的狮子——在世界杯前的销售价格为19.95欧元。

狮子穿着件写有6号的足球衫，底下却没有裤子。他的伙伴是一个叫作皮雷的能说话的足球。

格利奥因与用鹰作为国家标志的德国没多大关系而遭到嘲笑。