The best football mascots of all time... from boilers to goats

Football mascots come in all different shapes and sizes — and there have been some classic costumes over the years.

We have trawled through the archives to pull together a list of some of the beautiful game's most impressive, iconic and downright insane mascots. 

Kingsley (Partick Thistle)

When Turner-prize nominated artist David Shrigley was asked to create a new mascot for his beloved Partick Thistle in 2015, he grasped the opportunity with both hands.

The end result — a large yellow beast dubbed Kingsley — drew headlines around the world and sent football fans on social media into a meltdown.

Sporting a striking monobrow and with a head shape reminiscent of Lisa Simpson, most ridiculed the unique design but Kingsley now holds a special place in football mascot folklore. 

Boiler Man (West Brom)

Though West Brom's traditional Baggie Bird mascot is a rather unremarkable effort, their introduction of Boiler Man in 2018 was a masterstroke.

The club struck up a partnership with Hull-based firm Ideal Heating and the decision to unleash somebody dressed as a combi-boiler was warmly received by fans right across the Championship.

Such has been the popularity of Boiler Man, he still helps crank up the atmosphere at the Hawthorns to this day.

Tiger (Criciuma)

Most mascots serve as a warm and friendly face to greet home fans but Brazilian Serie B side Criciuma take a slightly different approach.

Nicknamed the Tigers, their mascot — known by the same name — has a face fit to frighten any adult, never mind child.

Flashing its teeth with a fearsome frown to match, opposition players must do a double-take when this imposing figure passes them in their warm-up.

Goleo and Pille (2006 World Cup)

Germany's 2006 creation of Goleo epitomises everything good about major tournament mascots.

Bordering somewhere between cute and creepy, the lanky lion even made an appearance in three hit music videos prior to the World Cup kicking off.

Accompanied by his sidekick Pille — effectively a human face carved into a football — Goleo bizarrely received criticism in some quarters for not wearing any trousers.

Grayou (FC Metz)

Few clubs have managed to tie their city's history into their choice of mascot quite as poetically as French outfit Metz.

Legend says a dragon-like creature called Graoully occupied the city's theatre for hundreds of years before Saint Clement of Metz successfully fought and banished the beast.

Now, the tale lives on through Grayou, the club's adorable mascot who would dwarf even the tallest of new signings and is a popular figure on social media.

Hennes the goat (FC Cologne)

Back in 1950, a travelling circus arrived in the German town of Cologne accompanied by a goat they had found on their journey and opted to donate the animal to the local football club. 

Remarkably, the club have been marching a goat named Hennes around their pitch before home games ever since, making them one of the only clubs in world sport to boast a live animal as their mascot.

Of course, goats do not live forever and the club are currently on their ninth version of Hennes, who lives a life of luxury when he is not fulfilling matchday duties.