Zabivaka

Zabivaka, the mascot

Zabivaka (Russian: Забива́ка)[1] was the official mascot of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which was held in Russia. The name is a blend of the Russian words собака ("dog") and забивать ("to strike").

Designed by student designer Ekaterina Bocharova, aged 22, the mascot was selected by internet voting in Russia, beating out a tiger and a cat.[2]

In pre-World Cup events, the mascot was played by English YouTuber and actor Rafe Young.[3]

  1. ^ "In brief". Stamp and Coin Mart. Warners Group Publications. February 2018. p. 11.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference fifa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: When I Was The 2018 World Cup Mascot!. YouTube.