The first World Cup final used two different balls because the teams could not agree on which one to use.

The 1930 FIFA World Cup final took place on July 30 at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay. The dispute over the match ball was so intense that FIFA President Jules Rimet had to intervene personally. The first-half ball was the Argentine-made 'Tiento,' a 12-panel hand-stitched leather ball that was slightly smaller and lighter than its counterpart.During the first 45 minutes, Argentina dominated the play and went into the break with a 2-1 lead. For the second half, the officials switched to the Uruguayan 'T-Model,' which was a heavier, larger ball featuring a distinctive T-shaped panel design. Uruguay scored three unanswered goals in the second half with their preferred ball, securing a 4-2 victory and the inaugural trophy.Modern sports physics suggests that the differences in weight and inflation pressure between the two balls likely affected the flight path and 'feel' for the players. The Tiento was known for being more aerodynamic for short passes, while the T-Model was sturdier for the long-ball style favored by the Uruguayans. This historical anomaly led FIFA to eventually standardize match balls, beginning a long-standing partnership with manufacturers like Adidas in 1970 to ensure uniform specifications for every game.