2 min readJun 12, 2026 01:07 PM IST
Police in Peru dressed up as World Cup mascots — Maple, Zayu and Clutch — to fool a alleged drug dealer and arrest him on Thursday.
According to a short video shared by AFP, one of the officers is seen telling, “Thanks to the intelligence work carried out by the team, we were able to establish that the person we are about to arrest was a die-hard football fan, living and breathing World Cup fever. So we proceeded to disguise my green squad personnel as World Cup mascots to approach him without arousing any suspicion at the market area.”
In the visuals, the mascots are seen chasing the alleged drug dealer before they nab him on top of a building.
For the World Cup there are three mascots for three host countries.
Peru isn’t featuring in the tournament as they failed to qualify for the World Cup. They finished ninth out of 10 teams in the CONMEBOL, where seven teams make the World Cup finals. Despite having a easier path for qualification, with a record seven teams getting entry, they managed to get only 12 points from 18 matches, which was seven behind the team in the seventh spot. So far in the World Cup history, they have made the finals on five occasions, with their last being in 2018.
Their best spell came in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when players like Teófilo Cubillas helped them qualify for the 1970, 1978, and 1982 tournaments, out of a possible four editions in that period. They had also taken part in the inaugural World Cup edition in 1930.
At the 1970 edition hosted in Mexico, Peru had their best run, making it to the quarterfinals, where they officially finished seventh. Eight years later when Argentina hosted the World Cup, they again made it to the quarterfinals.
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For the 2026 World Cup, the three mascots represent each of the three host countries. Maple, the Moose represents Canada. Zayu, the Jaguar, from the jungles of southern Mexico, embodies the rich heritage and vibrant spirit of the country. And finally, Clutch, the bald eagle reflects the USA, which hosts the majority of the matches in the tournament.
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