From Willie to Maple, Zayu and Clutch: 60 years of World Cup mascots
The first was World Cup Willie, a lion, in 1966. In 2026 there are three for the first time: a moose, a jaguar and a bald eagle, one per host nation.
Mascots are an inseparable part of the World Cup party. The first was born at England 1966: World Cup Willie, a lion in a Union Jack shirt, launched a tradition now six decades old.
Since then, every edition has had its own, almost always inspired by the culture or wildlife of the host country: the boy Juanito (Mexico 1970), the cheerful orange Naranjito (Spain 1982), the chilli pepper Pique (Mexico 1986), the peculiar faceless figure Ciao (Italy 1990) and the Gallic rooster Footix (France 1998).
The 21st century brought the leopard Zakumi (South Africa 2010), the armadillo Fuleco (Brazil 2014), the wolf Zabivaka (Russia 2018) and La'eeb (Qatar 2022), a traditional headdress turned character.
The 2026 World Cup marks a milestone: for the first time there will be three mascots, one per host. Unveiled in September 2025, they are Maple, a moose who plays in goal (Canada); Zayu, a jaguar striker (Mexico); and Clutch, a bald eagle midfielder (United States).
They will also be FIFA's first «playable» mascots, featuring in their own video game. From a hand-drawn lion in 1966 to an animated, digital trio in 2026, the story of the mascots is also the story of how the greatest show in sport has grown.
Source: Wikipedia (FIFA World Cup official mascots; Maple, Zayu and Clutch).