To celebrate the 2014 FIFA World Cup, ESPN teamed up with Wieden & Kennedy, and I, in creating a series of posters with the 32 teams in the tournament, featuring the best players and nicknames of all the national teams.
As a football fan, I must say that this was a dream project to work on. To be able to contribute my illustration work to this project and live the World Cup with such intensity, made me proud and motivated to go along the almost four months of intense hard work to complete the illustrations of the players and crests in time for the event.
The reception that the posters received, after releasing, was a big surprise. I realized the popularity ESPN across the world is big, but I never could expect to see so many spontaneous sharing, blog posts, press and even football stars (as Mario Balotelli, Joel Campbell, Tim Cahill, Clint Dempsey, among others) have been sharing the posters and changing their avatars to the posters on their social network profiles.
In time, I hope to see this whole project as a statement of a memorable World Cup, that happened in my country and that I had the opportunity to contribute with my work.
Below, the posters following the order in the World Cup in the groups stage. Also, some bonus work for the other stages of the World Cup: Groups stage, USA "I Believe" campaign, Final Match and German Champions.
Group A
BRASIL
Player: Neymar Jr.
National team nickname: Seleção
Player: Neymar Jr.
National team nickname: Seleção
CROATIA
Players: Luka Modrić, Mario Mandžukić
National team nickname: Vatreni
Players: Luka Modrić, Mario Mandžukić
National team nickname: Vatreni
MEXICO
Player: Javier "Chicharito" Hernández
National team nickname: El Tri
Player: Javier "Chicharito" Hernández
National team nickname: El Tri
CAMEROON
Player: Samuel Eto'o
National team nickname: The Indomitable Lions
Player: Samuel Eto'o
National team nickname: The Indomitable Lions
Group B
SPAIN
Players: Xavi Hernández, Iker Casillas, Andrés Iniesta
National team nickname: La Furia Roja
NETHERLANDS
Players: Arjen Robben, Robin Van Persie, Wesley Sneijder
National team nickname: Oranje
Players: Arjen Robben, Robin Van Persie, Wesley Sneijder
National team nickname: Oranje
CHILE
Player: Alexis Sanchez
National team nickname: La Roja
Player: Alexis Sanchez
National team nickname: La Roja
AUSTRALIA
Player: Tim Cahill
National team nickname: Socceroos
Player: Tim Cahill
National team nickname: Socceroos
Group C
COLOMBIA
Player: James Rodriguez
National team nickname: Los Cafeteros
Player: James Rodriguez
National team nickname: Los Cafeteros
GREECE
Player: Giorgos Karagounis
National team nickname: ΕΘΝΙΚΗ
Player: Giorgos Karagounis
National team nickname: ΕΘΝΙΚΗ
IVORY COAST
Players: Didier Drogba, Yaya Touré
National team nickname: Les Elephants
Players: Didier Drogba, Yaya Touré
National team nickname: Les Elephants
JAPAN
Players: Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa
National team nickname: Samurai Blue
Players: Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa
National team nickname: Samurai Blue
Group D
URUGUAI
Player: Luis Suárez
National team nickname: La Celeste
Player: Luis Suárez
National team nickname: La Celeste
COSTA RICA
Player: Joel Campbell
National team nickname: Los Ticos
Player: Joel Campbell
National team nickname: Los Ticos
ENGLAND
Player: Wayne Rooney
National team nickname: The Three Lions
Player: Wayne Rooney
National team nickname: The Three Lions
ITALY
Player: Mario Balotelli
National team nickname: Azzurri
Player: Mario Balotelli
National team nickname: Azzurri
Group E
SWITZERLAND
Player: Gökhan Inler
National team nickname: La Nati
Player: Gökhan Inler
National team nickname: La Nati
ECUADOR
Player: Antonio Valencia
National team nickname: La Tricolor
Player: Antonio Valencia
National team nickname: La Tricolor
FRANCE
Players: Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema
National team nickname: Les Bleus
Players: Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema
National team nickname: Les Bleus
HONDURAS
Players: Wilson Palacios, Jerry Bengston
National team nickname: Los Catrachos
Players: Wilson Palacios, Jerry Bengston
National team nickname: Los Catrachos
Group F
ARGENTINA
Player: Lionel Messi
National team nickname: La Albiceleste
Player: Lionel Messi
National team nickname: La Albiceleste
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
Player: Edin Džeko
National team nickname: The Dragons
Player: Edin Džeko
National team nickname: The Dragons
IRAN
Players: Jalal Hosseini, Reza Ghoochannejad, Javad Nekounam
National team nickname: Team Melli
Players: Jalal Hosseini, Reza Ghoochannejad, Javad Nekounam
National team nickname: Team Melli
NIGERIA
Players: Victor Moses, Vincent Enyeama, John Obi Mikel
National team nickname: The Super Eagles
Players: Victor Moses, Vincent Enyeama, John Obi Mikel
National team nickname: The Super Eagles
Group G
GERMANY
Players: Philipp Lahm, Mesut Ösil, Bastian Schweinsteiger
National team nickname: Die Mannschaft
Players: Philipp Lahm, Mesut Ösil, Bastian Schweinsteiger
National team nickname: Die Mannschaft
PORTUGAL
Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
National team nickname: Seleção das Quinas
Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
National team nickname: Seleção das Quinas
GHANA
Players: Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan, Kevin Prince Boateng
National team nickname: The Black Stars
Players: Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan, Kevin Prince Boateng
National team nickname: The Black Stars
USA
Players: Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard
National team nickname: The Yanks
Players: Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard
National team nickname: The Yanks
Group H
BELGIUM
Player: Eden Hazard
National team nickname: The Red Devils
Player: Eden Hazard
National team nickname: The Red Devils
ALGERIA
Player: Sofiane Feghouli
National team nickname: Les Fennecs
National team nickname: Les Fennecs
RUSSIA
Player: Igor Akinfeev
National team nickname: Sbornaya
Player: Igor Akinfeev
National team nickname: Sbornaya
SOUTH KOREA
Player: Park Chu-Young
National team nickname: Taeguk Warriors
Player: Park Chu-Young
National team nickname: Taeguk Warriors
Bonus Artwork
GROUP STAGE HIGHLIGHTS
Players: Miguel Herrera, John Brooks, Lionel Messi, Robin Van Persie, Neymar, Luis Suárez, Giorgio Chiellini
An illustration for the highlights of the World Cup Group stage.
Players: Miguel Herrera, John Brooks, Lionel Messi, Robin Van Persie, Neymar, Luis Suárez, Giorgio Chiellini
An illustration for the highlights of the World Cup Group stage.
USA "I BELIEVE"
Players: John Brooks, Clint Dempsey
The "I Believe" work was relesead after the victor of the USA team over Ghana.
Players: John Brooks, Clint Dempsey
The "I Believe" work was relesead after the victor of the USA team over Ghana.
WORLD CUP FINAL MATCH
Players: Lionel Messi, Thomas Müller
Preview match illustration
Players: Lionel Messi, Thomas Müller
Preview match illustration
GERMANY CHAMPIONS
Players: Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Müller.
An illustration for the 2014 World Cup Champions
Players: Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Müller.
An illustration for the 2014 World Cup Champions
Credits:
ESPN creative direction: Bryan McAleer,
Brendan J. Gillen, Tomas Ferraro, Julian Gompertz.
ESPN RP: Ana Lívia Coelho
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy New York
ECD: Susan Hoffman
Creative directors: Brandon Henderson, Caleb Jensen
Art director: Mathieu Zarbatany
Design director: Serifcan Ozcan
Graphic designer: Ben Clark
Illustrator: Cristiano Siqueira
ECD: Susan Hoffman
Creative directors: Brandon Henderson, Caleb Jensen
Art director: Mathieu Zarbatany
Design director: Serifcan Ozcan
Graphic designer: Ben Clark
Illustrator: Cristiano Siqueira
Illustrator Representation: Erika Groeschel.
Thanks for watching!