From World Cup Willie to Tip and Tap: a nostalgic nod to the era of lovably quirky mascots

This year’s World Cup serves up yet more soulless, corporate animal slop to leave fans pining for the days of unique talismans

World Cup Willie marched on to the scene in 1966 with a spiky mane, bovver boy stance, bulbous brogues and – intriguingly for a World Cup held entirely in England – a union jack shirt. The product of a five-minute sketch by children’s illustrator Reg Hoye, who went on to create a red devil mascot for Manchester United, Willie was a marketing sensation. The first World Cup mascot featured on everything from bedspreads to beermats, ceramics to cereal boxes.

Fast forward 60 years and it’s clear how far World Cup mascots have fallen since their peak in the 1970s and 80s. In 2026 we have what’s largely been served up for the past 32 years: soulless, corporate, anthropomorphic animal slop. Meet Canadian moose Maple, Mexican jaguar Zayu and American bald eagle Clutch, who look like rejects from a straight-to-streaming DreamWorks sequel.

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