Football fans watching the FIFA World Cup may have noticed some players sporting additional patches on their sleeves — and not every player is wearing the same ones. These small badges carry significant meaning, each marking a distinct achievement in the game's most prestigious tournament.

The golden boot patch

Perhaps the most eye-catching addition is the golden patch reserved for players who have won the Golden Boot. Harry Kane, who scored six goals to fire England to the semi-finals at Russia 2018, wears one. So does Kylian Mbappe of France, who claimed the award at Qatar 2022 with eight goals, and Colombia's James Rodriguez, who netted six times at Brazil 2014.

Golden glove and world champions' badges

Goalkeepers who have been named the best shotstopper at a previous World Cup wear a separate patch — a crest featuring a glove at its centre. The three players eligible for this are Emiliano Martinez of Argentina, Belgium's Thibaut Courtois, and Germany's Manuel Neuer.

Seven nations that have lifted the World Cup trophy arrive at these finals wearing a gold World Cup badge on their shirts: Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002), Germany (1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014), Argentina (1978, 1986, and 2022), France (1998 and 2018), Uruguay (1930 and 1950), Spain (2010), and England (1966).

Debut and legacy patches

Players appearing at a World Cup for the first time receive a debut patch featuring the tournament logo alongside the words Debut Fifa World Cup. At the other end of the spectrum, veterans who have featured in five or more World Cups wear a legacy patch — displaying their nation's flag beneath the tournament logo alongside the word legacy.

Five players qualify for this distinction: Argentina's Lionel Messi, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, Croatia's Luka Modric, Germany's Manuel Neuer, and Japan's Yuto Nagatoma.

Why these patches exist

The badges are the product of a partnership between FIFA and trading card company Topps, which is owned by Fanatics. After each match, the patches are removed from the players' match-worn shirts and converted into physical collectible items placed inside trading card packs. The arrangement will officially begin in 2031, when FIFA's long-standing agreement with rival company Panini comes to an end.