It isn't FIFA without Fashion

When it comes to making a fashion statement, the FIFA World Cup stage isn’t restricted to the stars on the pitch or their perfectly primed WAGs. Enter, one million of the most passionate football fans in the world, who descended on Russia this June!

While Maradona provided the comedy, these fanatics have made the tournament a visual extravaganza. Will we see this kind of creativity at The Ashes or the NBA Finals? Probably not. So what is it about the aggressively skillful passing of a ball amidst 22 men, that causes fans to turn up in all this finery? Well, those fans are too far away enjoying the World Cup to answer that question right now. So in the meantime, here’s a round up of the most creative costumes in this FIFA World Cup.This World Cup has seen everything from shaded beards, resembling national flags; to intricate hair tattoos resembling Lionel Messi, the hero, now dejectedly watching at home. False eyelashes in the colours of the flag were spotted on a Mexican supporter too.

Country symbols make for fun headgear. Swiss fans proudly donned cheese blocks, zebras adorned the heads of Argentinians, while Australians opted for kangaroos. Iceland supporters sported viking hats while Egypt fans donned pharaoh gear. The English has their face painted in a red cross while the Belgians came in Nordic attire. Even the Croats were a sight of red and white in their top hats. It was a spectacle all the way.

It isn’t a World Cup without fully painted bodies, and the Senegal fans have won in that department with their coordinated wording! This Russian came in a close second.

The fanaticism did not stop at wacky. Temperatures soared as Brazilian and Russian women sported tiny emblazoned clothing. These fans, juxtaposed alongside Saudi Arabian and Iranian women wearing traditional headscarves, showed the merging of cultures with each passing fixture.

It takes a lot of planning and dedication to perfect your match day look, especially if you want to be notches above your opponent. Luckily football isn’t the longest game in the world, so fans don’t have to endure extreme levels of discomfort for a long period of time, whilst all decked up to support their team.

Entrepreneur, model and athlete Karan Medappa, who was in Russia when the World Cup kicked off, felt that South American fans ruled the roost when it came to attire. “Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico had some of the craziest fans! They looked super cool in their afro wigs and superhero costumes — and those women really stood out too.”

Professional footballer and Bengaluru FC player Erik Paartalu found the Nigerian and Swedish fans standing out, this time around. “Apart from them, one guy in the crowd had Belgian fries on his head which I found creative and funny, as the Belgians were the ones who invented fries!”

Owner, UnMute Agency, Dev Bhatia, who has watched every World Cup game this edition, particularly liked what Egypt’s and France’s fans did. “The Egyptians had these cool pharaoh outfits on, while the French were rocking a whole Napolean Bonaparte look! I thought that was unique.”

Former professional badminton player Nitya Sosale, who is in Russia for the tournament, heaped praise on Latin American fans for pushing the barrier. “It was a delight to see these  energetic fans on the roads and at the stadiums. I also think the Russian fan who painted his body from head to toe caught everyone’s eye!”