An Irish soccer fan, who was at the World Cup semi-final between Germany and Brazil, is now probably the envy of his mates after he managed to clinch one of the match balls.

Kevin Treanor and his son, Oisín, were seated behind the goal as they watched Germany make history by decimating the hostcountry 7-1 in Belo Horizonte last Tuesday night.

But Kevin, from Co Monaghan, got his hands on a priceless memento when an unruly shot by Brazilian player Bernard sent the ball straight into his son’s arms.

Boston-based Kevin said his next objective was to smuggle the ball — which has ‘Brazil v Germany’ and the date of the match written on it — out of the stadium before being caught by the stewards.

He told Co Monaghan radio station Northern Sound: “Other supporters were trying to grab the ball of him [Oisín], but I had a tricolour which I wrapped round it and I said to my son, ‘Let’s get out of here’.”

The ball also has a mark on it from when André Schürrle smashed the underside of the crossbar as he scored the seventh goal.

The Treanors certainly don’t feel any guilt about snatching the prized possession, Kevin said: “Fifa can afford to lose a ball. I’m sure they won’t go bankrupt. I still can’t believe this has happened.”