Secrets of the World Cup

Chapter 1

The bizarre history of the World Cup trophy

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Chapter 2

Unbelievable matches and weird player rules

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Chapter 3

The quirky world of mascots and superstitions

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YOUR GOAL

Master of Secrets of the World Cup

Ch 3 · The quirky world of mascots and superstitions

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gus World Cup Mascots and Rituals

Before each '98 match, what did Blanc do? / Kissed Barthez's head for luck, oh-oh!

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A stadium built with shipping containers

gus A stadium built with shipping containers

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gus The legendary psychic octopus

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gus The luck of the pre-match kiss

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gus The curse of the defending champions

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gus The lion who started it all

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Box Seat

gus Box Seat

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gus The curse of the defending champions

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gus The curse of the defending champions

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The luck of the pre-match kiss

gus The luck of the pre-match kiss

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Fun Fact

Psychic octopus: In 2010, an octopus named Paul correctly predicted the winner of all seven of Germany's matches and the final.

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The legendary psychic octopus

gus The legendary psychic octopus

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Glossary

superstition (noun)
A belief that specific rituals or charms can magically influence a match's outcome. It's the reason some World Cup stars wear lucky socks or refuse to touch the trophy.

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Quiz

What animal was World Cup Willie, the very first official mascot in World Cup history in 1966?

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Gossip

Which animal would make the best psychic match predictor?

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gus The luck of the pre-match kiss

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Quiz

What spooky pattern is known as the 'Defending Champions Curse' in modern World Cups?

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Quiz

In what year did FIFA introduce the first official mascot to the World Cup?

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Quiz

What famous lucky ritual did French player Laurent Blanc perform before matches in the 1998 World Cup?

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Quiz

Which country's team refused to stay in a hotel during the 1994 World Cup unless they could bring their own security and food?