The U.S. Post Office has announced a number of new postage stamp designs that will be launched next year, including one that will receive the endorsement of the U.S. Women’s National Team as it prepares to maintain the crown at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
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The new collection features a wide variety of designs that, according to the USPS, “highlight our unique American culture” and include many distinguished individuals who have made a major impact on society. Former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is honored along with novelist Toni Morrison, pop artist Roy Lichtenstein and civil rights leader Chief Standing Bear.
There’s also a badge that pays tribute to women’s soccer in the United States, from the youth league network to the reigning USWNT world champions. Designed by Antonio Alcala and based on an illustration by Noah MacMillan, the badge depicts the player acrobatically “banging the side ball with a volley” in a streamlined, modernist style that aims to illustrate the dynamic movement and movement of the female game.
“Signed, sealed, delivered. I can’t wait to be in your inboxes, ”wrote USWNT on Twitter.
While the two worlds may not be an obvious combination, football has been the inspiration behind badge artwork in the past. Indeed, several celebrity names have successfully entered the world of philately.
Only in Sweden: Zlatan Ibrahimovic stamps @Ibra_official #znaczki #Ibrahimovic #ibhahimovicznaczki pic.twitter.com/vKxbS1Dyu3
Perhaps it goes without saying that Zlatan Ibrahimovic was gifted with his own stamp line by the Swedish Post (Posten) in 2014.
The limited-edition kit contained five different photos of the veteran striker and was an instant hit, with over five million stamps sold prior to their release.
In a similar vein, Robert Lewandowski found himself on a Polish postage stamp before the 2018 World Cup after scoring 16 goals in 10 matches during the qualifying campaign.
Five million stamps with the all-time top goalscorer in the country were printed and issued on the opening day of the tournament, each for 6 zlotys (about 1.25 euros).
Cementing his position as a national sports hero, Armenian record holder Henrikh Mkhitaryan received his own postage stamp in 2019.
Are you Team Ronaldo or Team Messi. Both of my stamps are from Burundi 🇧🇮 Lionel Messi’s stamp was in the @ExploringStamps video and I just had to buy it! #philately #collecting stamps #collecting stamps #pic.twitter.com/9RdoXUkr8p
Although neither of them received seals from their native countries, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo appeared on stamps in the African country of Burundi.
Royal Mail releases Football Heroes stamps featuring football legends including George Best pic.twitter.com/qcD7VqYK
In 2013, Royal Mail released a special collection to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Football Association rules. It featured 12 of Britain’s greatest football talents on individual stamps, including Bobby Moore (England), Denis Law (Scotland), John Charles (Wales) and George Best (Northern Ireland).
Completely fits that the shot is destined for the top right corner. # Postage stamp pic.twitter.com/dMx0KLl3DC
But arguably the coolest soccer-themed badge ever produced was a special tribute to Sensible Soccer released in 2020 as part of a 12-piece set paying homage to classic UK-designed video games from the 1980s and 1990s.
