The Best Football Mascots That Steal the Show Every Match

Football is a sport known for its passionate fans, intense matches, and iconic players, but another important element often steals the spotlight: the team mascot. These colorful and energetic characters serve as more than just a symbol. They embody the spirit, pride, and personality of their respective clubs.

From fierce animals to playful creatures, football mascots have become integral parts of the game’s culture, captivating fans of all ages. In this article, we’ll look at some of the best and most beloved ones, exploring how they bring fans together, entertain the crowd, and help create lasting memories both on and off the pitch.

More than just the set of colors and their physical characteristics, here we will dive into the mascot limbo to see some of the most important symbols and what makes them an integral part of the team they represent. We will unveil their origins and what sets them apart from anything else.

Make sure to take a look at each one, and you’ll become an expert on the matter. From Premier League icons to small clubs, here are the best football mascots of all time and their role in making this sport even more magical:

When talking about football, most people think of iconic players like Messi and Neymar, but one aspect of the sport that is often overlooked is the mascots on the field. They might look just like a silly furry bunch made to entertain fans and carry the club’s nickname, but there’s much more than just that.

They keep the football spirit alive and the crowd excited during the match. Football can be a fairly stressful game, so having someone to make things relaxed is more than necessary during some matches.

Moreover, recognizable mascots also help spread the club’s awareness throughout the territory and help attract more fans. Whether it’s a Domestic, World Cup, or Premier League mascot, they all play an essential role and should not be overlooked. More than just a playful and silly costume, they are a comic relief and a pillar for keeping the sport enjoyable regardless of the situation.

It is also common to see two mascots interacting with each other during games, which makes things even funnier for the spectators. They impact entire tournaments and are an important aspect of the game, whether for a sponsorship deal or half-time entertainment.

Now, it’s time to see some of the most iconic and famous mascots in the football universe. From European characters to Brazilian symbols, we will cover the main ones from around the globe and the history behind each of these figures. Make sure to look at each one to see where they come from and what makes them so unique for fans.

Whether you’re a football enthusiast or just want to learn more about this topic and the role of a mascot, this article is for you. Here is everything you need to know about the most iconic football mascots:

Starting with one of the most visually iconic characters of the Premier League, as the name suggests, Crusty is a pie that represents Wigan Athletic on the field, being a crucial part of their games.

It is responsible for entertaining the fans and encouraging them to cheer with all their hearts for the team. Even though the pie itself doesn’t have any relation to the club crest and their name, the figure of a pie was chosen through a contest in partnership with a children’s school in the team’s hometown. Each child would draw a character, and the most voted one would be officially crowned as the mascot of Wigan Athletic.

It was one of the cutest stories of how a mascot was created and proof that footballs go far beyond just the field. Crusty the Pie was voted the winner of the competition, and since 2019, it has become a vital part of the team.

According to those who drew Crust, “We designed Crust like this because everyone in Wigan loves pies.” It is a brilliant story and a vital part of the team that now represents what’s best in the spirit of football.

Another mascot that is loved by the fans and plays a vital role in the Premier League is Gunnersaurus. It is the official mascot of Arsenal and is a green dinosaur.

Whether it’s a match against Manchester City, Manchester United, or any major team rival, you can expect it to provoke the opponents and bring numerous laughs to those watching the match in the stadium. He is considered by many the top-flight mascot of the competition and almost the symbol of the Premier League due to its influence.

Even though the mascot is considerably old and part of the club’s tradition, it made its comeback after years away from the football pitch. According to the club, one of the main reasons Gunnersaurus was away from most games, but there are other reasons.

One of the main reasons the mascot was removed from the fields was financial problems. During the pandemic, numerous decisions were made inside the club to preserve its financial wealth during tough times. One of them was to retire Jerry Quy, the man inside the costume, for the last 27 years.

Since he was an essential part of the club and a potent symbol, players like Ozil even offered to pay wages to keep him. Sadly, he was restrained from the games for a couple of years.

However, people’s passion for the mascot almost obligated the team to bring it back, and after years, Gunnersaurus is once again part of the match and is played by Jerry Quy.

If you like cute mascots, this one is for you. Moonchester and Moonbean are the Blue Moon duo that represent Manchester City Football Club. This is not just a mere aesthetic decision; their design and relation to the astronomical phenomenon is a reference to the Premier League-winning club’s anthem, “Blue Moon.”

They are a duo, and it is very rare to see only one of them, whether during a championship match or promotional material. Even though their inspiration has a deep meaning and respect for the older clubs, it is still a fun and awesome mascot, even for those who don’t know about the backstory.

Since they were introduced, the two cute aliens have become an instant phenomenon in the football world and are a huge part of every match. The entire community enjoys the two cute aliens and loves interacting with them during every match, whether at their home stadium or in the enemy’s territory.

Pirates are a common mascot for teams worldwide, from European giants to Brazilian top-tier clubs. Whether because of their relationship with the club and its origins or just for design reasons, it can always entertain people of all ages and give them a great time during matches.

Among the main characteristics of this specific pirate, the one that highlights the most and distinguishes it from other similar mascots is the pot belly. While most pirates have a slim shape and a classic look, this one is not ashamed of showing its round belly, which attracts even more looks to the club’s jersey.

Despite that, their looks are traditional and follow what you’d expect from a pirate, including an eye patch and a hat. Don’t worry about the swords; although they look big, they are also plushies and great toys for entertaining kids during the games.

If you thought the Red Devils would have a little devil as their mascot, you’re wrong. England’s biggest club uses a cherry bear as its official character, named Fred the Red. The bear’s colors are a direct reference to the team’s uniform and nickname, matching perfectly with the jersey when worn.

Even though the mascot is not a devil, they didn’t leave the nickname off its costume. If you look in its head, you can see that the bear has two little horns. Fred is a mighty red bear who embraces the team’s spirit but is, overall, a nice guy who loves to interact with the crowd during games and provide an unforgettable experience. Whether in matches against rivals like Aston Villa and Old Trafford or casual games, he helps make everything even better for fans. He provides a fun experience when matches are stressful and need comic relief.

Fred the Red has been Manchester United’s official mascot for over thirty years now, and every new season, the community loves it even more. Whether old or new fans, everyone loves the giant red bear and its ways of interacting with the crowd.

We love a good pun in the mascot’s name, and that’s precisely what Hammerhead provides. The mascot is a big robot made of “metal” that helps the team interact with the crowd and keep the game alive during half-time breaks.

Hammerhead is a considerably new mascot and a well-deserved upgrade compared to the team’s old character, Herbie the Hammer. He is a mighty character and more straightforward to befriend, mainly because he doesn’t have the surprised look of the older one.

Despite its visuals not being as attractive as the others, his attitude on the field and his interaction with the crowd make Hammerhead unique. There’s a reason why it is one of the most loved mascots of the entire Premier League.

The names of both Herbie the Hammer and Hammerhead use a pun with the “ham” present in the team’s name, so it is always easy to remember the mascot’s name. He is the perfect example of stage attitude and charisma, making every moment of the game enjoyable and the experience better than any other game.

Brazil also has some of the most iconic football mascots of all time, one of them being “Super Homem Tricolor” from the Brazilian club Bahia. Superhomem translates to Superman; as the name suggests, it is a direct reference to the superhero from the comics created by DC.

It doesn’t try to hide its reference and is a clear ripoff of the superhero, and that’s not bad at all. Even though it doesn’t have a direct relationship with the team and there’s no deep meaning behind this choice, it is still a big part of the club, and every fan loves it.

He is not the only mascot of the team, and just like Manchester City, it also has a pair often seen together during games of all kinds. The duo is inspired by another legend from the comic books and is… you guessed it! Wonder Woman.

Lindona da Bahia is the club’s other mascot, and this choice is not random. The presence of a female character promotes equality in the football universe and sends the message that everyone can enjoy the sport, regardless of gender or anything else.

Another mascot in the cute realm is the duo from the Wolves. As you might expect from the club’s name, their mascots are two wolves responsible for cheering with the crowd and making every match a complete show for the fans.

Many times, clubs and companies struggle to choose their mascots and what they’ll be because it also impacts every aspect of the company and its brand, but we can easily say this wasn’t a problem here.

The idea of creating a wolf based on the club’s name was far from original, but that’s not necessarily bad. The duo is one of the most easily recognizable ones, and you can also visit the stadium’s shop to buy plushies from them and take home a piece of this memory.

Just like with Bahia and Manchester City, the duo is composed of a male and a female character who interact with each other in numerous ways during the games and are responsible for entertaining the fans and opponents during the matches. It is also common to see them interacting with other mascots, like the bear from Manchester United or the Boiler Man from West Brom.

We mentioned that Brazilians really know how to make good team mascots, and this one is proof of that. We could not make this list without mentioning one of the most iconic characters in the history of the FIFA World Cup.

Over the years, the World Cup has already been the stage for some iconic mascots from all kinds and cultures, and some of them really stand out, transcending the football realm and becoming a reference across the globe. This was the case with Fuleco, the mascot created by Brazilians for the 2014 edition of the tournament.

Fuleco is a colorful Armadillo that carries in its fur the colors of the country it represents, with the drawing of a ball where its scales would be. His clothes might be simple and very straightforward, but that makes it even better because you can pay more attention to the design and the careful process behind its creation. It is truly a work of art and one of the best mascots the competition ever had.

To this day, it is still remembered not only by Brazilians but by football fans from all over the world. It is also a reminder of how much we love the World Cup, the mystery of which will be the next mascot of the competition and its design.

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