In addition to all the action on the field, the World Cup mascots have provided a lot of buzz and excitement off the field in recent years. Fans are always looking forward to the new mascot being revealed for that edition as a character who will forever be immortalized as a face in that World Cup edition.
The draw for the FIFA 2022 World Cup took place in Doha, Qatar on the 1stst April, and the groups were not the only things made known to the public. As has been the tradition, fans listened to the tournament’s official anthem, and there was also room for a mascot unveiling to crown it all.
Unveiling of La’eeb – Qatar World Cup 2022 mascot
Using an animated video, FIFA revealed the mascot as La’eeb and explained the story behind the cool figure when it was seen flying in the air.
Khalid Ali Al Mawlawi, Deputy Director – General, Marketing, Communications and Tournament Experience, Top Committee on Delivery and Inheritance, said: “We are delighted to be able to unveil La’eeb as the official mascot for the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world. He comes from the mascot verse – a place that is indescribable. We encourage everyone to imagine what it looks like. ”
“We are sure fans everywhere will love this fun and playful character. La’eeb will play a crucial role in engaging young and old fans in Qatar’s FIFA World Cup experience,” Al Mawlawi added.
Explanation of the meaning behind La’eeb
La’eeb is basically an Arabic word that translates to super skilled player. According to FIFA, he comes from a parallel multiverse where mascots live and is a skilled football player who has previously participated in several editions of the World Cup.
In fact, La’eeb even takes responsibility for Maradona’s famous “Hand of God” goal and Robin van Persie’s acrobatic stunning header against Spain in the 2014 World Cup.
We are all allowed to interpret what it looks like as some say it looks like a ghost, handkerchief or even a flying dragon. La’eeb promotes positivity and is a fan of making sure everyone has faith in themselves as ‘Now is all’. His job is to bring the joy that comes with football to everyone.
In addition to the joy of football, La’eeb will also spread hope and confidence everywhere.
La’eeb will literally be hosting the tournament and will be all over Qatar, welcoming fans and cheering on the excitement of the pitch during the competition, from 21 November to 18 December. FIFA will soon give fans access to buy t-shirts, caps and merchandise from La’eeb as well as download GIFS and stickers across several social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktop, Snapchat and WhatsApp.
La’eeb’s gender was not specified, but the introductory video described him using male pronouns. The look also gave the figure of a male mascot away, so it’s safe to go with La’eeb as a man. Either man or maybe not, we’m sure La’eeb will provide fun for global viewers throughout the duration of the competition.