PARIS, May 12 (Xinhua) -- FIFA and Local Organizing Committee on Saturday introduced a young French poussin named Ettie as the official mascot for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.
Ettie, whose name comes from the French word etoile for star, is a young chicken with a passion for life and football. She has strong family connection with Footix, the official mascot for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, and is the daughter of Footix.
Shown in the design, Footix cast his star far into the night sky, and after a few years of travelling through the cosmos it came back to him in the form of his twinkling daughter Ettie.
Footix knew immediately that Ettie would radiate happiness to everyone she met, not only because of her sparkling personality, but because they shared a real passion for football.
After many years of playing football together, Footix realized that Ettie was a talented and fearless player, and was an excellent exhibition of the slogan of the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 - DARE TO SHINE.
"Ettie will be the star of the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019. Her personality shines as brightly as her passion for women's football and we are happy that she is the young voice of the tournament," said FIFA's Chief Commercial Officer Philippe Le Floc'h.
"She represents hope, passion for football and of course fun. Ettie always dares to shine and we believe that she will bring joy and laughter to fans with her playful and charming behavior and her sparkling personality, as well as inspiring a new generation of young girls and women to get involved in football," he added.
The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup will be held from June 7 to July 7 across France in Grenoble, Le Havre, Lyon, Montpellier, Nice, Paris, Reims, Rennes and Valenciennes.
