Photos: Heroes in hats

The Uruguay players gather round a radio to listen to Argentina’s game against France at the first World Cup. The two South American superpowers ultimately ended up colliding in the final, with La Celeste recovering a half-time deficit to win 4-2.

Pele plays a board game at Sweden 1958. The 17-year-old struck six goals in four games to inspire Brazil to their first star.

Jurgen Grabowski and Reinhard Libuda are pictured in suits and hats on the balcony of the team hotel before Mexico 1970. They went home having participated in ‘The Game of the Century’, and with bronze medals rather than ties round their necks.

Wolfgang Overath wears a cowboy hat as he sits on top of a wooden crate during some downtime in Mexico. The attacking midfielder scored the only goal as West Germany decked Uruguay in the third-place play-off.

Scotland players Alan Brazil and John Wark pose in hats before flying from Portugal to Spain for the 1982 World Cup. The latter scored twice as Jock Stein’s side defeated New Zealand 5-2 in their curtain-raiser.

The England players wear Basque berets during a training session in Bilbao at Spain 1982. The Three Lions won all three of their Group 4 games in the city to advance to the second round, where back-to-back 0-0 draws in Madrid sent them home.

Diego Maradona and Daniel Passarella had their issues in the lead-up to Mexico 1986, but they were all smiles as Argentina assembled in Mexico City to prepare for their opener against Korea Republic. ‘El Kaiser’ didn’t play at the finals due to enterocolitis. ‘El Pibe de Oro’ did – and exceptionally. Both Maradona and Passarella became champions.

Jean-Marie Pfaff poses in a sombrero before Mexico 1986. The Lebbeke native helped Belgium reach the semi-finals.

Lothar Matthaus, holding the adidas Etrusco Unico match ball, poses dressed up as a chimney sweep before the Italy 1990. The midfielder played the leading role in West Germany conquering the sport.

USA reserve goalkeeper David Vanole lies on the Florence turf, with an American flag on his cap, to watch the Group A game against Czechoslovakia at Italy 1990.

Edwin van der Sar after the Netherlands edged Argentina in the France 1998 quarter-finals. Dennis Bergkamp’s last-gasp golazo snatched a 2-1 win at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille.

There were good vibes in Gelsenkirchen following Portugal’s 2-1 win over Mexico. The Seleção das Quinas had finished Group D on maximum points, while El Tri had also advanced due to IR Iran’s 1-1 draw with Angola. Rafa Marquez gave his sombrero to Barcelona team-mate Deco, but Luis Figo swiped it and wouldn’t give it back until he’d posed for some photos!

Marco Materazzi kisses the FIFA World Cup™ trophy following Italy’s penalty-shootout win over France at the Olympiastadion in Berlin in the Germany 2006 final. The head under his hat had played a huge role in the game, scoring past Fabien Barthez and taking the headbutt which got Zinedine Zidane sent off.

Erling Haaland, sporting a viking helmet, relishes Norway’s 2-1 win over Côte I‘Ivoire in the Round of 32 of the World Cup 2026. The hulking striker had scored a later winner at Dallas Stadium.

Keyne Yamal, Lamine Yamal’s younger brother, tries on a state trooper’s hat following Spain’s 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina at New York/New Jersey Stadium in the final. The three-year-old charmed the sport at the 23rd World Cup.