The official poster for next year’s FIFA World Cup features legendary Russian goalkeeper Lev Yashin, along with 1920s-style postconstructivist graphics.
The poster, designed by artist Igor Gurovich, has been unveiled just days before the final fixtures are drawn for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which is set to place in Russia.
To celebrate his native country hosting the event, Gurovich decided to focus the poster on Lev Yashin – believed by many to be the greatest goalkeeper in footballing history.
“It was very important for us to portray Russia as the host country in the official poster,” said Vitaly Mutko, chairman of the Russia 2018 local organising committee. “That’s why Lev Yashin was chosen, a symbol of Russian football, as the main figure.”
The poster takes its design cues from Russia’s postconstructivist art movement, with works by the likes of Dziga Vertov and the Stenberg brothers providing particular points of inspiration.
It shows Yashin reaching up to block a ball, which appears to combine a globe with a vintage leather ball.
The goalkeeper is dressed in his traditional outfit of black shirt and shorts, as well as a knee brace and cap that he became known for wearing.
According to Gurovich, the rays of light shining from the ball are based on a motif commonly seen in constructivist artworks. They are intended to symbolise the “tournament’s energy”.
“The style of Soviet postconstructivist posters from the 1920s and 1930s, and their unique visual language, became one of the most important and revered elements of Russian culture,” said Gurovich.
“This language is unquestionably thought of as Russian throughout the world,” he continued. “Therefore, in my work on the poster, I really wanted to make this language modern and relevant once again.”
A green circle is representative of the pitches that games will be played on.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicks off on 14 June. The 64 matches will take place in 12 stadiums across 11 host cities, all in the European part of Russia.
The final is scheduled to take place on 15 July 2018 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Earlier this month, Adidas unveiled kits for eight of the teams competing in the World Cup, which each pay homage to classic football shirts.
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