Girls chosen as mascots for Champions League Final given memorable gift
Each card features an image of the girl in their Mastercard Player Mascot kit which is exclusively worn at every UEFA Champions League matchday, as well as what football means to them
Player mascots at this year’s UEFA Champions League Final have been made into a unique set of Topps trading cards, commemorating them like the players they will be stepping on to the pitch beside.
Zoe Geoghegan and Sadie Diggin, both aged 9, the two UK Mastercard mascots, are surprised with their very own trading cards. Each card features an image of the girl in their Mastercard Player Mascot kit which is exclusively worn at every UEFA Champions League matchday, as well as what football means to them.
Sadie Diggin, Player Mascot at UEFA Champions League Final, said: “When I opened the pack, it was such a surprise to see my own face looking back at me! I am so excited to be a mascot at the final, especially as I am an Arsenal fan, and I will make sure I tell whichever player I’m walking out with that I am just like them!”
Topps is the official trading card partner of the UEFA Champions League, and their cards are usually reserved for the biggest stars in the game, but a limited-edition, set of nine cards has been created for mascots from around Europe that will make the walk alongside superstars at the final in Budapest next weekend, marking the first time Player Mascot cards have been created.
Although the players will be taking centre stage, the mascot spaces at the final are given to vulnerable children from multiple charities to give them the opportunity to shine and create memories that last a lifetime.
All girls that feature on the cards have taken part in the Girls4Football programme, a social impact initiative by Mastercard and the UEFA Foundation for Children designed to empower girls aged 8-16 with football skills and financial education. Over a 1,000 sessions have been provided to date in the UK, Hungary, Switzerland, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, showing how football can be used as a catalyst to improve health, education, inclusion and personal development.
Zoe Geoghegan, another Player Mascot at UEFA Champions League Final on behalf of Mastercard, said: “My Dad made me take a picture in the garden a few weeks ago, but I never would have thought it was to make me into a collectible card!”
Beatrice Cornacchia of Mastercard said: “The magic of football lives not just in the moments on the pitch… these Topps trading cards celebrate something we believe: that matchday is an unforgettable experience for fans of all ages. By honouring the girls from the Girls4Football programme, we are showing how we are making a positive difference to these children both on the pitch and away from it. That is Priceless.”
