A Look at the World Cup Mascots: From Fun to Forgettable

The World Cup has a long history of mascots, each one unique and sometimes confusing. The latest additions are Maple the Moose from Canada, Zayu the Jaguar from Mexico, and Clutch the Bald Eagle from the U. S. for the 2026 tournament. But how do they stack up against the others? First, let's talk about the mascots that didn't quite hit the mark. Ant, Kaz, and Nik from the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan are at the bottom of the list. They didn't even play soccer; they played something called "Atomball. " It's been over 20 years, and it's still not clear what that is. Gauchito from Argentina in 1978 is another one that didn't make a big impact. He was just a kid with a hat and a handkerchief. And let's not forget Tip and Tap from West Germany in 1974. They were the first mascot duo, but their cartoony smiles were a bit unsettling. Juanito from Mexico in 1970 was the first kid mascot, but he was a bit too simple. Zabivaka from Russia in 2018 was a wolf with goggles, but he didn't stand out much. And then there's La'eeb from Qatar in 2022. FIFA says he's from a "parallel mascot-verse, " but no one really knows what that means. Now, let's talk about the mascots that were a bit better. Zakumi from South Africa in 2010 was a leopard with green hair. Fuleco from Brazil in 2014 was an armadillo who cared about the environment. Goleo VI and Pille from Germany in 2006 were a singing, pants-less bear and a talking soccer ball. Pique from Mexico in 1986 was a soccer-playing chili pepper. Footix from France in 1998 was a rooster with boots built into his feet. Naranjito from Spain in 1982 was an orange with a big grin. Striker from the USA in 1994 was a dog that the American people voted for. World Cup Willie from England in 1966 was the original mascot. He was a lion with a no-nonsense attitude. And finally, Ciao from Italy in 1990 was a headless stick figure that spelled "Italia" when deconstructed. It's been 30 years, and there's still nothing quite like it.