The mascot for next year's European Championship in Germany will be a teddy bear — and this time it won't be naked from the waist down.
The mascot made its first appearance Tuesday morning by surprising children at a primary school in Gelsenkirchen, where it was set to appear again later before the team’s friendly game against Colombia.
The large-headed mascot with big eyes has shorts — in contrast to the 2006 World Cup mascot, a lion named “Goleo” that was widely ridiculed for not having pants.
The as-yet unnamed teddy bear also has a soccer jersey, socks and boots. Fans were to help name it by choosing between Albärt, Bärnardo, Bärnheart or Herzi von Bär. “Bär” is the German word for bear.
“As a parent, I know how important it is to stimulate children’s imagination,” Euro 2024 tournament director Philipp Lahm said. “With the launch of our tournament mascot, we hope to create a fun and likeable character that will inspire them to enjoy playing football.”
The mascot is due to appear in host cities over the next year. Germany will host the tournament from June 14-July 14, 2024.
Buffalo Bills running back Nyheim Hines will miss the season after he sustained a knee injury when he was struck by a jet ski, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.
A new documentary on Stephen Curry provides an inside look at how the basketball legend was shaped by his upbringing. Curry spoke with Cheddar News about the new film.
Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard has won the Tour de France for a second straight year as cycling’s most storied race finished on the famed Champs-Élysées.
About twice as many people in the U.S. watched the women's soccer team in the first round of the World Cup compared to the first round of 2017's tournament.
While major college sports programs have become multimillion-dollar, high-stakes businesses run more like professional teams, ritualistic hazing remains a problematic tradition within them.
