So, what do you make of Zakumi, the green-haired leopard presented last night as the official mascot for the 2010 World Cup?
Organisers deserve credit for remembering to give a big cat a pair of shorts this time. For the last World Cup in Germany in 2006 we had the gormless-looking Goleo, who was (rather daringly) naked from the waist down.
Here’s a reminder of the Goleo years, and click here for a look at all the mascots from the pioneering World Cup Willy in 1966 all the way through to Goleo.
I’m a Naranjito man myself, but let us know how you rate Zakumi in the all-time list.
Zakumi photo by Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters. Goleo photo, with Pele and Franz Beckenbauer, from 2004 by Alexandra Winkler/Reuters. Goleo is the one in the middle.
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6 comments so far
what’s the obsession with big cats as mascots? Why not a crocodile or an ostrich? there are tons of animals in Africa. Ciao from 1990 was my favourite. A weird lego man with a ball as a head. That’s an abiding image of the beautiful game for many.
- Posted by Mark MeadowsIt has to be Pique from 1986, that cracking hat made him the hottest jalapeno pepper ever.
- Posted by PatrickI don’t understand why South Africa didn’t go with a Springbok?
That is the most hideous thing I have ever seen. It looks like Raggedy Ann with leprosy and jaundice.
- Posted by Anonymice[...] Source Share and [...]
- Posted by World Cup organisers present mascot, with shorts this time : Soccer News[...] Reuters Soccer Blog » World Cup organisers present mascot Das Maskottchen der WM 2010 heißt Zakumi und hat irgendwie Ausschlag (tags: wm2010 maskottchen) [...]
- Posted by links for 2008-09-25 | Du Gehst Niemals AlleinIt looks fantastic, congratulations on a good job!
- Posted by Ole Casthoej