EURO 2024 Mascot: Albärt Ready to Spark Excitement in Germany

The official UEFA EURO 2024 mascot has been unveiled ahead of the tournament, with the name Albärt chosen after a vote by UEFA.com users and schoolchildren participating in the UEFA Football in Schools program across Europe. Albärt is set to make his first appearance on June 14, 2024, the opening day of the competition, and will play a key role in building excitement and connecting with fans. Here at Telecom Asia Sport, you can read about the inspiration behind the mascot design, its selection process, and its name.

The official mascot of the European Football Championship in Germany is Albärt, after emerging as the winner with 32 percent of the vote and beating out other contenders such as Barnardo, Barnheart, and Herzi von Bar, all of which played on the German word for bear.

UEFA hosted a vote on their website and across European schools to land on the tournament's mascot name. Here are the four names shortlisted for the mascot and their voting percentage, with Albärt winning with 32% of the vote:

• Albert: 32%
• Barnardo: 29%
• Bearheart: 22%
• Herzi von Bär: 17%

Albert continues a tradition of memorable mascots, which have included Berni, Goliath, Rabbit, and Kinas from past tournaments. Albert was first introduced to German fans during a friendly match against Colombia at the Arena auf Schalke. Since then, Albert has been active in the community, visiting primary schools across Germany and Europe to engage with young fans and promote the upcoming tournament. As Euro 2024 approaches, Albart's presence is set to become even more notable. Scheduled to appear on the tournament's opening day on June 14th, 2024, Albert will play a key role in building excitement and forming bonds with fans. EURO 2024 tournament director Phillip Lahm explained the importance of the mascots.

"As a parent, I know how important it is to stimulate children's imagination," explained Phillip Lahm, EURO 2024 tournament director. "With the launch of our tournament mascot, we hope to create a fun and likeable character that will inspire them to enjoy playing football."

Phillip Lahm said

The mascot will embark on its #MakeMoves tour in schools throughout Europe, encouraging students to engage in physical activity to animate and move the mascot. Kids will have the opportunity to invent their own unique skills and celebrations, which will then be captured and transformed into mascot animations for the tournament using advanced motion capture technology.

Celia Šašić, EURO 2024 tournament ambassador and DFB vice president, also commented on this initiative, stating

You can't lay the foundations for motion, playfulness and team spirit early enough. It's great to see UEFA inspiring the next generation to build self-confidence, live an active lifestyle and understand the importance team spirit - all important life lessons that will shape their future. This mascot will deliver that powerful message."

Celia Šašić