Explainer: Why footballers enter the pitch with kids before matches

• Player escorts have become one of football's most cherished traditions, with children walking onto the pitch alongside players to promote fair play, inspire young fans and strengthen the bond between football stars and the next generation.

• The tradition began in Brazil in 1976 before being adopted by major international tournaments, with FIFA officially introducing its Player Escort Programme at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

• Children are selected through official FIFA, UEFA and club programmes, including grassroots football initiatives, community projects, competitions and sponsor campaigns, giving thousands the chance to experience football's biggest stage.

When football teams walk onto the pitch before a match, there’s one detail that often captures the attention of many, that is, the children walking alongside the football stars. These young boys and girls are called player escorts or player mascots. They have become one of football's most recognised traditions. But who are these children? How did the tradition begin? And how are they selected? Here's everything you need to know.

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Player escorts are children who accompany footballers as they walk from the tunnel onto the pitch before kick-off. Usually aged between 6 and 10 years at FIFA tournaments, they line up with players during the national anthems before leaving the field moments before the match begins.

Many fans believe player escorts have always been part of football, but the tradition is actually less than 50 years old. The idea began in Brazil in 1976.

The concept was introduced by Ronan Ramos Oliveira, then the public relations director of Atlético Mineiro. Before a match against América Mineiro on 5 September 1976, he suggested that children accompany players onto the pitch. The idea was said to encourage more families and children to attend football matches and help young fans feel closer to their football heroes. The idea quickly became popular across Brazil before spreading to clubs around the world.

Although clubs had been using player escorts for years, they became a permanent feature of major international football much later. One of the first major tournaments to use player escorts for every player was UEFA Euro 2000, replacing the older tradition of players walking onto the field arm-in-arm with teammates.

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2 years later, the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan officially introduced the now-famous Player Escort Programme, giving children from around the world the opportunity to walk onto the pitch with football's biggest stars. Since then, player escorts have become part of every FIFA World Cup.

The tradition is designed to inspire children to play football, promote respect, friendship and fair play, give young fans a once-in-a-lifetime experience, create a stronger connection between elite football and grassroots football. The programme gives children the chance to walk hand-in-hand with those they look up to. Former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves, speaking during UEFA Euro 2012, said:

At FIFA World Cups, player escorts are usually chosen through the tournament's official player escort programme, often organised with FIFA's commercial partners. Children normally apply through competitions organised in participating countries.Depending on the edition, selections may involve:

• Football participation programmes

• School activities

• Community football initiatives

• Essay or creative competitions

• Online campaigns

• Random draws from eligible applicants

Applicants must also meet age requirements and obtain parental consent before travelling.

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For UEFA tournaments, children are selected through grassroots football programmes, promotional campaigns and community initiatives run by UEFA and its tournament partners. For UEFA Euro 2012, for example, official player escorts came from 34 countries, with children chosen through football participation projects, essay competitions and video contests.

At club level, the process is different. Most clubs choose player escorts from their youth academies, junior supporters' clubs, community football programmes, sponsor competitions and charity organisations. Some clubs also allow supporters to purchase mascot packages, with proceeds supporting club community programmes.