Origins of Stars on National Football Jerseys

Every four years, dozens of countries compete in the FIFA World Cup to win the trophy and earn the right to add a star to their national team jersey. This article explores the history and symbolism of stars on football shirts, tracing their origin and evolution as markers of World Cup victories. The tradition began with Brazil in 1970 after their third title, and has since been adopted by other nations. The piece also references related cultural and historical topics such as the unfinished Sagrada Familia, the "Match of the Death" during Soviet propaganda, the Comediablanca festival in Morocco, Roland Garros, Svante Arrhenius, a Charles de Gaulle film, the death of Papa Wemba, Swiss neutrality, and Benoît Gallot, curator of Père-Lachaise cemetery. The article is published by France 24 and includes a video from Culture Prime.