Incredible Photos of FIFA World Cup Fans

Believe it or not, this picture was taken in London in 1966. Featuring a fanatic football/soccer fan named Elaine Humby, the photo was taken by photographer Chris Ware.

As you can see, Elaine is sporting World Cup earrings that are meant to show her support for the British team in the then-upcoming match between Uruguay and England that was held at Wembley.

Face paint is usually reserved for only two types of fans: Those who like the World Cup and those who are diehard KISS fans. As you can guess, this one is the former. But, with this white paint on his face, it could very well be that he is also paying homage to KISS, you never know.

This soccer fan is Paraguayan and the picture was taken while was watching his team playing against Slovakia in the 2010 FIFA WC that was held in South Africa.

If your first reaction to this image was to look away because you were terrified and appalled then we can't blame you. That was exactly our response. It took us a while to see that this creepy face is actually a face on a hat worn by a WC fan.

This photo was taken during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as the crowd was watching the match between Switzerland and Honduras. If you ask us, we feel like this Switzerland fan took it too far.

One of the greatest aspects of being a fan of anything is the ability to go all in, embracing the fact you might look a little bit (or very) silly.

A prime example of that is this fan, wearing a helmet with a bunch of different flags on it, showing his love for the game itself, rather than just a specific team. But his true loyalties shine through the face paint that is on his cheek.

This fan attended the 2010 FIFA in South Africa with a roman helmet to signify his support for the Italian team. He was cheering his team while they were playing against Slovakia at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.

While the face paint does make him look a bit silly, his choice of an impressive Roman helmet reminds everyone that no one wants to mess with Rome.

There's a great joke that we know, which we feel is relevant in this case: How do you know if there's an American in the room? Don't worry, they'll tell you! We Americans are known for our patriotism, and our love of the flag.

How else could you explain having the flag painted on your face while wearing a jacket with it, while also holding it?

Well, well, well. What do we have here? The year is 1968, the time is right after a match between Italy and Yugoslavia. As you can see, the Italian fans, are excited because of their team's victory so they are climbing up the goal.

Is that safe? Probably not. But is it fun? We bet that it is. This picture truly captures the WC spirit.

These guys are so orange we thought we were looking at Trump there for a second. But no, no former presidents of the U.S.A in this picture, just devoted FIFA fans. The picture was taken in 2010, during a match between The Netherlands and Denmark.

These two Dutch fans are enjoying the full WC experience, wearing orange wigs and sunglasses to make sure everyone knows which team they're rooting for.

Truly rooting for someone, be it a person or a team, means being there for them even if it's uncomfortable. This picture proves how dedicated WC fans can be, cheering for their team even while it's snowing outside!

Despite having to cover most of himself, he made sure everyone will still be able to tell which team he was rooting for — the American team, of course.

A big part of what's fun about soccer is that you get the chance to have fun with your outfit! Why wait for Halloween when you can wear a funny costume with your friends to show your love for your team?

These four Netherlands fans are all wearing some type of muscle suit, orange glasses, and mohawk caps. Why? You'd have to ask them why they went for this combo in particular but one thing is certain — they're having a ball.

While some people discover their love of soccer later in life, others are born into it. These two little lads belong to the second category. We bet that they were already attending soccer matches before they could even speak.

Now when they are already old enough to walk and talk, these two kids took to showing their team how much they care by painting their faces and holding flags.

It's World Cup 2006, there's a tense match between two teams: Spain and Tunisia. How will the Spanish fans show their team that they care? By wearing funny outfits, of course! Or, in this case, by not wearing that much at all.

Their outfit is compiled of red bikini tops and face paint. To finish off the look, they added a touch of green to their hair. We bet the Spanish players liked it!

Sometimes showing everyone which team you care about is a lot more important than showing your actual face. This fan of the Nigerian team is wearing a green and white sock hat so that even the people way in the back will know he wants Nigeria to win.

Of course, he had to cut out holes for his eyes so that he could actually see who was winning!

We thought we've seen it all before, but this fan really went all out. Wearing your team's colors? That's for amateurs! Full-blown customs with feathers, that's where it's at.

This Peru supporter decided to dress up as a red vulture and dance for the success of his team. There's no way any fan of the rival team found a way to top that!

While most fans just want to have a good time watching the game and supporting their team, that's not the case for everyone. There's always at least one hooligan who's looking for trouble.

Such was the case in June of 1981. After being defeated by the Swiss team, British fans decided to cause a commotion. Next time maybe just drown your sorrow at the bar?

If we asked you to imagine what the average soccer supporter looks like, who would you imagine?

Probably a man in his thirties or forties. While many fans are exactly that, that doesn't mean they are the only ones who care about soccer. In this picture, for example, you can see an old woman celebrating the victory of her team, the Moroccan team.

In 1986, the 13th World Cup was held at the Aztec stadium in Mexico City. Just before the opening ceremony was about to begin, an enthusiastic fan waved a sombrero.

Luckily, a photographer caught this amazing moment on camera and it makes for a great picture, one that captures the WC spirit. Thousands of soccer supporters cheering together — that's what FIFA is all about.

In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Club Atlético River Plate of Argentina was up against the Kashima Antlers of Japan. The match took place in Abu Dhabi, but that did not stop the Japanese fans from coming all the way to the United Emirates to watch the game and support their team.

From the looks on their faces, we have a feeling they're not happy with what's happening on the field.

Just like in real life, the life of a fan is never just an upwards trajectory filled with victories. Sometimes, your team loses. There is no better time to be surrounded by loved ones other than when you are sad and dejected.

This family of fans is huddling together, trying to help each other through the disappointment of seeing their team lose it all.

Part of the fun of being a FIFA fanatic is not just cheering for your team, but also teasing and booing other teams! In a 2014 FIFA match between Costa Rica and England, some fans dressed up as grim reapers and held up a sign telling England that the end is near.

We can only hope the British fans know how to take a joke, otherwise, well, there's a chance this ended badly.

One of the greatest pleasures of being a supporter of a team is that you can think of new and creative ways to express your devotion. This fan wanted everyone to know she's rooting for Switzerland but probably came to the realization that face paint can feel kinda tacky and unflattering.

So, she opted for a lot of small stickers of the Danish flag. She added purple eyeshadow and earrings and the result is a look that shows who she's rooting for without compromising her style.

For the fan who is too lazy or maybe not talented enough to use face paint, they have invented this good old method. First, get your hands on a huge flag of your desired team. Second, you must find a way to rip a hole in the middle. The third step is sticking your face in it.

This makes for a great way to support your team while watching the game without having to wash your face for hours afterward.

This picture was taken during the 2014 FIFA world cup, held in Rio de Janeiro. This fan was watching a game between Brazil and Chile. By looking at his face we bet you can tell it didn't turn out that great for the Brazilian team.

The fan was caught crying and holding on to his prayer beads, hoping god can somehow help his team.

True fans always enjoy learning more about the history of the WC. Well, look at this piece of history — a picture from the 1954 Soccer World Cup! But it's not even the oldest one, the first WC ever was held in 1930.

The 1954 tournament was held in Basel, Switzerland. This photo was taken right after the German team won the semi-finals. This was the first time the German team ever made it to the WC final, so it was a big deal.

The 1974 World Cup was held in West Germany. The Scottish team was competing against Zaire. Zaire who, you ask? The Republic of Zaire was a state in Central Africa that no longer exists.

The young country, which was only three years old when the match was held, had no chance against the experienced Scots. In the picture, you can see them celebrating their team's victory.

In 2018, the 21st FIFA World Cup was held in Russia. Between June 14th and July 15th, fans of the WC from all over the world gathered in Russia.

In the picture, you can see English fans walking around in the fan zone while their team is playing against Panama. The two are wearing matching white shirts with red crosses on them, representing the British team's flag.

Finally, we get to see some face painting in action! These two fans of Chile's national team are getting ready for the game. The one we can actually see in the picture is getting his face painted by the one who is outside of the frame.

The teenage supporter is also wearing a red shirt, as well as a flag as a cape, so no matter where you look, you'll be able to tell which team he is rooting for.

There's just something incredibly striking about watching thousands of people together, all shouting the same thing or doing the same gesture. In this case, an army of fans is raising their hands together while watching a match between France and Denmark in Moscow.

Seeing as most of them are wearing the same color, it makes for an even better, more touching picture.

The father and the son seem to have completely different experiences of the game. While the father seems to be enjoying himself, maybe because he gets to share his love of the game with his son, the kid looks unhappy.

Maybe he finds the face paint uncomfortable, or maybe the other fans are making too much noise, but whatever it is, the son is just not having it. There's a great chance he'll be telling his therapist about this terrible WC trauma in the future.

We bet that there's an entire industry that is built on making silly little WC props and outfits. How else could you explain so many curly wigs with the German team colors on them? Is it a fashionable stylish look?

No. Does it achieve its job of telling us these young fans are willing to do anything for their team? Yes.

The 2006 World Cup was held from 9 June to 9 July in Germany. The Germans won hosting rights in 2000. In this picture, we can see a Tobago fan showing her love for her team without compromising her sense of style.

Wearing a red beret, a red and white bag, and adorned with temporary tattoos of her team's flag, this girl is ready for what is about to come.

Taken on July 2018, this picture shows a young fan who is using his team's flag to wipe his sweat. We can't blame him, we bet it's incredibly hot out there with so many people standing together.

On his left cheek, there's a little blotch of white face paint, which he probably put on before the game started. By the end of the game, though, it seems like most of it is gone.

You gotta appreciate a fan that knows how to use glitter! Is it practical or comfortable to wear glitter on your face? Probably not. It is super pretty? Yes! For this 2018 match between Brazil and Belgium, one Brazilian fan knew where it was really at, and covered his entire face with glitter.

It probably took him ages to remove it all, but we bet he felt like it was totally worth it.

Most fans just go for the usual stuff, putting face paint on and maybe a shirt in their team's colors. But only true fans would wear underwear with the team's name on them, and then show said underwear to everyone at the game!

Is it the most tasteful way to show which country you're rooting for? Most likely not, but it is a fun way of doing it.

The blurred lights almost make it seem as if a fire is coming out of the fans' hands, and there's a great chance there's some brilliant metaphor hiding here somewhere. It's almost like they wish they could burn their opponents.

They all look like they are about to cause a commotion but the truth is they are just celebrating a goal their team scored during the 2010 World Cup.

When it comes to soccer and to the WC, face paint is already a tired cliche. But one Tunisian fan was determined to find a way to make his face paint stand out.

He opted to draw the Tunisian FIFA flag on his face in a clever way, adding the moon and the star at the center of his face, just next to his nose. The result is an awesome-looking face!

Of course, a great deal of enjoying the WC is all about being proud of your country, which is why so many flags are involved. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which was held in Berlin, Germany, you could see thousands of proud fans waving the German flag.

The patriotic crowd is cheering for their team, hoping they'll be able to witness a magnificent victory.

Well, well, well, what do we have here if not a bunch of Croatian soccer fans celebrating by jumping into a fountain in the middle of the night? Taken in 2018 in Zagreb, Croatia, this photo is just another one of many that show how dedicated fans honor their chosen team.

Would we want to get wet in the middle of the night because someone won something? Probably not, but then again we guess that just means we're not as loyal and true as these guys!

When these three friends realized they were going to attend a WC game in 2006, they knew they have to do something special. Now, while we are not huge fans of the look, you do have to admit it doesn't get more special than seeing three adult men wearing diapers out in public.

We're not sure what it's meant to communicate, but at least they've added the letters on their chests so that we'll know which team they are actually rooting for.

We've heard it said somewhere that good things come in sets of threes and looking at this adorable picture we think we get why!

These young brothers are all sporting matching soccer tops and bandanas. While on three adults this would have read as tacky, these little guys totally pull it off, almost making us want to become WC fans as well.

For a moment there these two creepy faces scared us straight to hell and back. But, after we got to catch our breath we realized these are just your regular, run-of-the-mill FIFA fans wearing a matching set of spooky face masks.

Who knows, maybe it helped them distract the opposing team? Brazil did win that match, so maybe it was thanks to these two?

In 2016, the UEFA EURO Championship Qualifier was held at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. This group of young Irish fans from Wicklow was on its way to the game against Gibraltar when this picture was taken.

They are all wearing matching wigs in their country's colors, and they all seem incredibly excited about the fact they're going to watch the game live!

Today, makeup has become more than just a way of hiding your flaws, but a way of expressing what you're really excited about. Just take a look at so many different makeup influencers on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram who have made a career out of showing everyone how to use makeup creatively.

In 2014, this fan was ahead of the trend, using face paint as eye shadow and drawing on the flag of the two different countries that were competing.

The best thing about this picture is that you can simply see what these people are going through just by looking at their faces and bodies. This dynamic shot was taken in 2014 on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.

Argentina fans have all gathered around on the beach to celebrate their team's victory over Switzerland. The couple hugging in the middle is just overcome with joy!

This is definitely the type of picture we could imagine seeing in a museum. In 1997, Polish soccer fans gathered to cheer for their team which was competing against England.

While the game was held in Poland, it was actually the Brits who won 2-0. The Polish fans then took to the streets, holding up flares to maybe try and lighten the atmosphere a little bit. We hope it worked.

The 1998 World Cup was held in Paris, France between June and July of that year. This picture shows soccer supporters standing at the city hall as a match between Brazil and Scotland is taking place.

The pavement is riddled with trash, and the fans who are caught in the rain are trying to use their country flags as umbrellas.

Taken in Brazil in 2014, the photo depicts the future generation of WC fans. This pregnant woman took to using skin-friendly paint to write a slogan on her belly letting everyone know that her baby was made in Brazil.

We bet that now, years later, the mother still has this picture framed and sitting on her desk. We hope this little gesture made other fans smile as they were watching their team compete against the Colombia team.

This photographer captured an incredible moment, showing enthusiastic fans screaming and yelling as they are watching the 2010 World Cup match between Paraguay and Spain.

At the front of the picture, a Paraguayan model named Larissa Riquelme is shouting in excitement. Behind her, rows of fans, some seem grateful while others seem disappointed. This picture truly captures the WC spirit.

The decision to host the 22nd FIFA World Cup in Qatar has caused quite a controversy, but at the end of the day, FIFA is about soccer and the game must go on.

Pictured here is a young fan of Qatar cheering for his team. Complete with white and red face paint, the kid is thrilled to see WC games held in his own country which is hosting the WC for the very first time.