Paul Trevillion

My World Cup memories began in the 1950’s when my art was starting to appear regularly in the national press. Even though I had a press pass, I always chose to stand behind the goal. In World Cup year 1958 my Master Vending series of cards feature Matthews, Finney and Charlton started the bubble gum card collecting craze, but it was at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden where I was totally captivated by a 17 year-old, exceptionally gifted Brazilian named Pelé. 1966 and I was at Wembley when England won the World Cup and I became friends with Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Bobby Moore, Jack Charlton, Bobby Charlton and Roger Hunt with Alan Ball ‘Player of the Tournament’ becoming a close friend.

I have been blessed over the years to have known and captured in pen and ink a multitude of world class players and coaches - Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Tom Finney, Sir Alf Ramsey, Bobby Moore, Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne and many more. I have special memories of World Cup ‘74 (when Scotland wore sock tags!) and working with the great coach Don Howe, World Cup ’90 when I became Paul Gascoigne’s official artist. World Cup USA ’94 meant new, exciting art for Pelé with Umbro, billboard posters for Budweiser and a unique commission with Jack Charlton and the Republic of Ireland team. Every World Cup year brings something special with the ‘new’ legends on the block, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s World Cup 2026 and at 92 years old I am still as excited as I was in 1958.