The most remembered World Cup mascots
Both among "soccer players" and among "non-soccer players", the mascots of the Championships are an element that everyone likes, for their charisma, their grace - almost always - and their relationship with the environment. Let's see the most remembered, considering that his first official appearance was at the World Cup in England 66.
TOP 1: Naranjito - Spain 82
Far from the topics that could be expected, in the country of "flamenco and bulls", Naranjito was a success as a pet in the World Cup in Spain 82 . Dressed in the colors of "la Roja". And interestingly, it was not, as in other cases, people or animals.
TOP 2: Zakumi - South Africa 2010
Zakumi, the mascot of the World Cup in South Africa , in which Spain was proclaimed Champion. It is a leopard, typical of the country, and its name is formed by ZA (acronym for South Africa) and the word "kumi" meaning 10.
TOP 3: Gauchito - Argentina 78
In the 78 World Cup in Argentina , the nice image of the stereotype of the Argentine gaucho, embodied in a child, dressed in the albiceleste was chosen.
TOP 4: Footix - France 98
The French mascot, the rooster (symbol of France and present on the shield of your selection)! Footix was a name chosen in a survey, and results from putting together the English word foot (foot, where football comes from) and the ending ix, typical of characters such as Asterix, Obélix, etc.
TOP 5: Willie - England 66
This is the first mascot of World Cups. England 66 chose a lion (traditional symbol of England), dressed in the flag of the country that hosted the Championship.
TOP 6: Striker - United States 94
The friendly Striker dog, created by Warner Bros, sported the colors of the American flag. And, as if that were not enough, his name means neither more nor less than "scorer."
TOP 7: Pique - Mexico 86
Being the second World Cup organized by Mexico, after 1970, when the mascot was the image of a Mexican child without great media coverage, this time the country opted for the typical jalapeño pepper, a well-known spicy vegetable, and dressed it as a Mexican soccer player .
TOP 8: Tip and Tap - Germany 2006
These two soccer players, dressed in German equipment, shared the acronym WM (Wettmeisterschaft: World Cup ) and the year of the Championship. There were those who interpreted in them the symbol of unity of the then divided two Germanies.
TOP 9: Ciao - Italy 90
The mascot of Italy 90, Ciao - Italian greeting - was original but colder, lacking human or animal "personality." Italy, the country of design par excellence, opted for a football player built with cubes with the colors of the country's flag, and a ball-shaped head.
TOP 10: Fuleco - Brazil 2014
To this nice Brazilian armadillo, which has accompanied the 2014 World Cup in Brazil , we assume a pleasant memory in the memory of many football fans. We will have to wait to see how it will be remembered.
And here some of the most charismatic characters that have been accompanying us for a time every four years, on the occasion of the World Soccer Championship held in different countries.