Dezeen Magazine

Eight of the best illustrations that capture World Cup fever

With the Fifa World Cup 2018 final taking place this Sunday between France and Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, we've rounded up eight of the best illustrations that represent the highs and lows of the tournament.


Football Atlas by Michael Raisch

Pairing cartography with a hyperrealistic illustrative style, Michael Raisch's Football Atlas offers a geography lesson via a series of maps of the countries competing in the 2018 World Cup, with drawings of individual standout players emblazoned across them.

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Weird World Cup beermats by Gordon Reid and Callum Stephenson

Graphic designers Gordon Reid and Callum Stephenson called upon 20 of their peers to each submit an illustrative design related to an unusual World Cup moment – for a collection of beermats that were sold in aid of London-based charity Football Beyond Borders.

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Fifa World Cup 2018 official poster by Igor Gurovich

Designed by artist Igor Gurovich, the official poster for this year's World Cup depicts legendary Russian goalkeeper Lev Yashin saving a football that resembles a globe, imposed on a background of 1920s-style postconstructivist graphics.

Find out more about the Fifa World Cup 2018 official poster ›


Tschutt Heftl sticker album 2018 by Tschutt Heftl

Swiss not-for-profit Tschutti Heftl's sixth iteration of their alternative world cup sticker album featured illustrations by 32 different artists, who were commissioned to created portraits of 13 players in their own style for each team.

Find out more about Tschutt Heftl


52 Years of Hurt By Jack Bedford

London-based designer and Dezeen collaborator Jack Bedford offers a playful take on England's 52 years of hurt at the competition, with a series of illustrations depicting the reactions of fans to their singular World Cup glory followed by continued years of heartbreak.

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World Cup Gifs by Sam Taylor

As part of an ongoing collaboration with Giphy, illustrator Sam Taylor created a set of 15 vibrant and humorous gifs ahead of the World Cup, which feature cartoon versions of objects related to the tournament, including footballs and the FIFA World Cup Trophy.

Find out more about Sam Taylor's Giphy project ›


Home With Pride by Reuben Dangoor

As England's team made a surprise run to the semi final's, Reuben Dangoor captured the nation's football fever with a series of humorous and poignant illustrations, including a drawing of manager Gareth Southgate guiding his young lions to the plane home with their heads held high.

Find out more about Home With Pride ›


World Cup Chants by Tom Anders Watkins

To celebrate this year's tournament, self-taught designer and art director Tom Anders Watkins produced a set of posters dedicated to each of the 32 participating teams, with each design inspired by a well-known chant sung by the various nations' fans.

Find out more about Tom Anders Watkins ›