The World Cup is kicking off in less than 24 hours,with millions of fans expected to tune in as Mexico faces off against South Africa in the first match of the tournament tomorrow.

And as we watch on in glee – or horror – in the weeks to come,it won’t just be the players dribbling this year,as one meat-loving football fan has come up with a banger of a half-time snack.

Julia Boebel,the 11th Bavarian weisswurst queen,is making white sausages shaped like footballers at her family butcher near Rittersbach,Germany.

She says: ‘The World Cup is taking place in the summer,and that’s definitely barbecue season.

‘We sat down as a team and thought,what can we make for the barbecue using weisswurst?’

When it comes to sausages,Julia knows the score (Picture: Reuters)

The result is a footballer-shaped sausage kicking a Franconian bratwurst ball,all held together with a green cocktail stick.

To make the sporty sausages,Julia – decked out in a tiara,weisswurst queen sash and food hygiene gear – pipes weisswurst pulp into footballer-shaped moulds,laid out on a tray decorated to look like a pitch.

‘Once I’ve piped them all out,I’ll smooth the surface nice and even,’ she adds.

Then,it’s over to the kettle where the meat is steamed. Once cooked through,Julia spears the footballer’s foot with the cocktail stick and attaches the all-important ball.

Julia spears the footballer’s feet to attach the ball (Picture: Reuters)

Then,it’s grilling time. Julia cooks the footballers over indirect heat for about seven minutes and says they pair perfectly with a ‘pretzel stick topped with butter’.

Showing off her creation,Julia chows down the bratwurst ball,gobbling it up in one bite.

The Bavarian weisswurst queen is chosen each year to reign over the region’s famous veal and pork sausage,named for its pale colour.

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