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?
The Mascots That Didn't Quite Hit the Mark
- Ant, Kaz, and Nik (2002, South Korea & Japan)
- 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 (1978, Argentina)
Just a kid with a hat and a handkerchief.
- Tip and Tap (1974, West Germany)
The first mascot duo, but their cartoony smiles were a bit unsettling.
- Juanito (1970, Mexico)
The first kid mascot, but he was a bit too simple.
- Zabivaka (2018, Russia)
A wolf with goggles, but he didn't stand out much.
- La'eeb (2022, Qatar)
- FIFA says he's from a "parallel mascot-verse," but no one really knows what that means.
The Mascots That Were a Bit Better
- Zakumi (2010, South Africa)
A leopard with green hair.
- Fuleco (2014, Brazil)
An armadillo who cared about the environment.
- Goleo VI and Pille (2006, Germany)
A singing, pants-less bear and a talking soccer ball.
- Pique (1986, Mexico)
A soccer-playing chili pepper.
- Footix (1998, France)
A rooster with boots built into his feet.
- Naranjito (1982, Spain)
An orange with a big grin.
- Striker (1994, USA)
A dog that the American people voted for.
- World Cup Willie (1966, England)
The original mascot, a lion with a no-nonsense attitude.
- Ciao (1990, Italy)
- A headless stick figure that spelled "Italia" when deconstructed.
- It's been 30 years, and there's still nothing quite like it.