The Football Association (FA) has requested British artist Ben Mosley to create personalized portraits of the England team for their World Cup base in Kansas City. This initiative is part of the FA’s efforts to create a comfortable and familiar environment for the players during the tournament.
Sources indicate that the FA aims to provide each of the 26 members of Thomas Tuchel’s squad with an individual portrait. While the exact details of the order and designs are still being finalized, this move continues the personal touch approach that has been a hallmark of England’s team under the leadership of former coach Gareth Southgate.
Mosley, a Hertfordshire-born expressionist, is already the official artist for Team GB, the British and Irish Lions, and League One side Barnsley. He has a reputation for creating murals and has used 24-carat gold in his paintings as a trademark. One of his paintings sold for £100,000, but it is unclear how much the FA will spend on this project.
In previous tournaments, Southgate prioritized making the team hotel as comfortable and familiar as possible, which he believed would aid performances on the pitch. In the 2018 World Cup in Russia, players’ rooms were personalized with family photos and mementos. At the 2020 Euros, where England stayed at St George’s Park, the FA introduced a basketball hoop to encourage mixing among the players. In the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the FA added subtle branding, such as using three lions frosting for doors and windows.
Who would have thought that personal touches like portraits could actually impact performance? But if it works, let's give the FA a thumbs up for thinking outside the box! What other creative ideas do you think could help teams perform better?