This Day in History: 2023-02-28

Nr. 414

WORLD CUP WILLIE STARTS A TREND (1966)

In the long procession of World Cup mascots, World Cup Willie, the happy little lion with punky red hair, leads the way. Willie was the first mascot to represent a World Cup tournament and many believe he was the best, although purists argue that his Union Jack vest did not accurately represent England’s status as the host nation. Still, Willie’s arrival on the football radar was remarkable enough to prompt skiffle star Lonnie Donegan to record a pop song in his honour and every host nation since has adopted the concept with a greater or lesser degrees of aesthetic success.

As part of the World Cup publicity World Cup Willie poses outside the FA headquarters in London.