What a special moment for these young fans.
, you've probably noticed a sweet detail: the players always walk onto the field holding the hands of kids, who are dressed like an adorable little squad themselves. It's a long-standing tradition that's rarely explained during international tournaments — so if you're curious about the history, you've come to the right place.
The children who walk out with the players are called"player escorts" or"mascot children," and they've been part of soccer games for well over 20 years now. One of the earliest photos of children walking as mascotsafter a November 1996 match between Liverpool and Everton. Beginning around 2000, the practice as it is today began: one escort for each player, rather than just one or two per team.
Early on, the practice of having children escort the players doubled as a way to raise awareness for charity causes. Ahead of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, FIFA and UNICEF partnered on a program called Say Yes For Children, which aimed"," according to a UNICEF press release at the time.
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