The Fifa World Cup is one of the most-watched sporting events around the globe. It is often remembered for its goals, upsets and moments of heartbreak, but some of its most memorable stories happen away from the scoreboard.
From emotional celebrations and historic firsts to acts of kindness in the stands, this year's tournament has already delivered plenty of moments that have brought fans together and highlighted football's ability to unite people across borders. Here are some of the best.
A Christmas sweater leads to a dream come true
Not every World Cup hero has stepped onto the pitch. Young Mexico supporter Santi captured hearts after arriving to support El Tri wearing a red, white and green Christmas sweater because he did not own a Mexico jersey. Photos of the boy quickly went viral, prompting a search to find him.
Days later, his story had a happy ending when Santi was presented with an official Mexico shirt, turning an improvised outfit into one of the tournament's most heartwarming moments.
Mexico's unofficial mascot steals the spotlight
Merlin, a two-year-old duck dressed in Mexico's national team colours, has become an internet sensation after appearing among celebrating supporters in Mexico City. Images of the bird sporting a Mexico jersey and tiny socks quickly went viral, with fans joking that Merlin had already become the tournament's first unofficial mascot.
"We want to see Merlin in the stadium," one social media user wrote, while another declared the duck "a national treasure".
A familiar sight in Mexico City's historic centre, Merlin often accompanies his owner as she sells drinks from a cart on weekends. Thanks to the World Cup, however, the duck's fame has now spread far beyond the streets of the capital.
Japanese fans continue the tradition of cleaning stadiums
Japanese supporters have once again been praised for staying behind after matches to clean up the stands. The gesture, which has become synonymous with Japan's World Cup appearances, has been widely applauded by fans as an example of respect, community spirit and sportsmanship.
However, it hasn't only been the fans who left a lasting impression. A photo shows the Japanese men's team also left the locker room “spotless” after drawing a tie against the Netherlands during group play.
Solidarity with Palestine
Displays of solidarity with Palestine have continued throughout the tournament, with fans waving flags, wearing symbols of support and sharing messages of unity in stadiums and fan zones.
Champions meet in New York
The World Cup has brought together football fans from across the globe, but one light-hearted moment off the pitch had two of New York's sporting heavyweights cross paths. Women's football champions Gotham FC shared a video showing a quick interaction with members of the NBA champions, the New York Knicks, captioning the moment: “New York Champions … that's got a nice ring to it.”
Raul Jimenez breaks down after scoring for Mexico
Few moments at this year's World Cup have been as emotional as Raul Jimenez's teary-eyed reaction after scoring for Mexico in the opener against South Africa.
It marks Jimenez's first goal at this tournament, despite appearing at three previous World Cups. The strike also draws Jimenez, 35, level with Jared Borgetti as Mexico's joint second-highest scorer of all time with 46 international goals.
For many fans, the moment symbolises a remarkable comeback. In 2020, Jimenez suffered a life-threatening skull fracture during a Premier League match, an injury so severe that doctors said it was remarkable he survived. He returned to football wearing a protective headband, making his headed goal on the sport's biggest stage all the more poignant.
The goal also carried personal significance as his father died in March. As Jimenez pointed towards the sky through tears, many saw it as a tribute to one of his biggest supporters.
Cape Verde's joy as it holds powerhouse Spain to a draw
One of the tournament's biggest surprises came when Cape Verde held former world champions Spain to a draw. The result sparked jubilant celebrations among players and supporters alike, highlighting one of the World Cup's enduring appeals: seeing smaller nations prove they belong among football's elite.
At the heart of the upset was goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, whose string of saves kept Spain scoreless and turned him into one of the breakout stars of the tournament so far. His popularity has also translated off the pitch, with his Instagram following surging from about 20,000 to more than 11 million as fans around the world take notice.
Curacao scores its first-ever World Cup goal
History was made when Curacao found the net for the first time at a World Cup. Although the team ended up losing the game 7-1 to Germany, the landmark goal represented years of progress for the Caribbean nation and sparked celebrations among fans back home and across the diaspora.
