The best football mascots in the world

Sporting mascots may seem a very American phenomenon but those in North America are not the only ones dressing fully-grown adults in costumes and parading them around stadiums.

Thousands of football clubs across the world boast their very own mascot, from the simple to the spectacularly bizarre. Whether in England, Japan or Mexico, they have become a staple of the modern game and an intrinsic part of each club's DNA.

There are some extravagant mascots doing the rounds on matchday. Here are ten of the best.

10. Captain Cod - Fleetwood Town

Captain Cod is actually only one half of the Fleetwood Town mascot family. He's often joined on matchdays by his pink partner Mrs Cod, although the exact nature of their relationship has not been made explicit. There's certainly no wedding ring on Captain Cod's fish finger.

One would imagine that Captain and Mrs Cod often find themselves under attack from rival mascots on matchday, with Brighton & Hove Albion's Gully the Seagull a particularly formidable foe. Let's hope there's no cup meetings between the pair soon.

9. Hammerhead - West Ham

Hammerhead is one of the few mascots that looks like he could bench press most of his club's players. Having said that, his core strength may be put to the test by West Ham United's forward duo Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug.

Hammerhead, who is somewhat surprisingly not a shark, is one of many West Ham mascots over the years, but only he can stake a claim for the next Marvel spin-off series. Sorry, Bubbles Bear.

8. Kingo - Willem II

Some context is needed to truly appreciate Willem II's mascot. You see, the Dutch club were renamed after King of the Netherlands, William II, in 1898, who had a strong connection with the city of Tilburg in which the club play. Naturally, their mascot Kingo pays tribute to their royal connection.

Kingo's motto, "Afraid of No One", speaks for itself but Willem II's reputation as a mid-table Eredivisie team - occasionally dropping into the Eerste Divisie - suggests otherwise.

7. Stolle - Holstein Kiel

Holstein Kiel were promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history ahead of the 2024/25 campaign and few were more thrilled than their avian mascot Stolle the stork.

History is a little blurry when it comes to the origin of Kiel's nickname of the Storks but it's rumoured that one of the club's first kits resembled the colour combination of the long-necked bird.

How one fits in such an oddly-proportioned costume is unclear.

6. Super Pepino - Leganes

Forget Hammerhead, Leganes mascot Super Pepino should be the next entrant into the world of Marvel. A seven foot cucumber? Villains will be shaking in their boots.

Leganes' nickname of Los Pepineros (the Cucumber Growers) inspires this particularly special mascot, who is often referred to as 'the Cucumber Knight' by the club itself. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in safe hands.

5. Erwin - Schalke

Erwin, evidently inspired by Postman Pat, has long been the mascot of German giants Schalke, and he is, quite frankly, a terrifying creation. There are no eyes to be seen on our Gelsenkirchen chum, which presumably sit below his flat cap.

Erwin is already on the naughty list in the Bundesliga, too. After a Revierderby with Borussia Dortmund in 2017, Erwin was furious with the decision not to award Schalke a stoppage-time penalty, finding and brandishing a red card to referee Felix Zwayer after the match. He escaped with just a warning.

4. Boiler Man - West Brom

Boiler Man. One of the most infamous mascots in English football history.

Brought before the Hawthorns for the first time in 2018 as West Bromwich Albion teamed up with sponsors Ideal Heating, Boiler Man quickly captured the attention and hearts of football supporters up and down the country.

A combi boiler with legs and arms is certainly a unique offering in the world of mascots, but few are more memorable - and now loved - than Boiler Man.

3. Kingsley - Partick Thistle

Kingsley has been haunting children's dreams since his arrival at Partick Thistle in 2015. Designed by club supporter and artist David Shrigley, the nightmarish creation supposedly represents "the angst of being a football fan".

"I'm a nice guy really - just a bit misunderstood. I might look a bit angry but I'm really very approachable and I love Partick Thistle," reads Kingley's biography on the club website.

What on earth Kingsley is supposed to be - if anything - remains unclear but it looks like the product of an AI search for angry Lisa Simpson.

2. Gunnersaurus - Arsenal

Gunnersaurus is arguably football's most famous mascot but many have been left wondering why the Gunners are represented by an enormous green dinosaur.

Well, in 1993/94, the club held a competition for young Arsenal fans to design the club's next mascot, with 13-year-old Andrew Wainwright and 11-year-old Peter Lovell winning. Inspired by their love of Jurassic Park, Gunnersaurus was born.

The iconic mascot still patrols the Emirates Stadium to this day.

1. Hennes - FC Koln

We enter a different league with Koln's club mascot, Hennes, who is actually a living being. The goat became the club's mascot in the 1950s and has since been included in the club crest and inspired the German side's nickname, the Billy Goats.

Of course, the original Hennes is no longer with us, with Hennes IX taking over in 2019. But it's difficult to describe just how famous Hennes is across Germany and the city of Cologne.

Past iterations of Hennes have appeared in TV shows, featured in adverts and boasted their own Koln-branded enclosure at the local zoo. He is an icon of German football and king of mascots.

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