Brazil 2014’s mascot is an armadillo, and it’s not as bad as it sounds

FIFA and Brazil 2014’s Local Organizing Committee have picked the mascot for the next World Cup, and it could have been a lot worse, particularly if the first thing you heard about the choice was armadillo.

Yes, that thing that looks like it’s wearing headgear out of the Poker Face video is an armadillo, they do live in Brazil, though not with the frequency that they used to. And that’s the point. The three-banded version of the quasi-mammalian mammal used to have a reliable home in Brazil’s northeast, but as with everything, everywhere in the world, that’s changing. Habitat destruction had lod to a swift downturn in the three-banded armadillo’s numbers.

The mascot, yet unnamed, should help bring attention to the armadillo’s plight, even if it looks nothing like the real thing. The three-banded armadillo is brown with brown highlights, with a few more hints of brown. Having a mascot accurately capture that reality would defeat the purpose, hence the Pokemon character to the right. The only thing real armadillos have with Pokemon is the ability to make themselves into a ball.

Brazil legend Ronaldo was at today’s unveiling in Rio de Janeiro:

“I’m delighted to welcome such an important member to the 2014 team,” said Ronaldo. “The mascot will play a key ambassadorial role in the next two years. I’m sure he will inspire many young football fans in Brazil and all over the world with the great passion which he has for the sport and for his country.”

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke was also on hand. Not surprisingly, he emphasized how significant it was for a group of affluent men from Zurich to change the world through mascots:

“The fact that the three-banded armadillo is a vulnerable species is very fitting,” said FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke. “One of the key objectives through the 2014 FIFA World Cup is to use the event as a platform to communicate the importance of the environment and ecology. We are glad to be able to do so with the help of a mascot who I’m sure will be much-loved, not only in Brazil, but all over the world.”

Now all we need is a name. Brazilians will get to choose from one of three options: Amijubi, Fuleco and Zuzeco. Voting closes mid-November.