Football Cartoons for Tips Bladet

Illustration work for Denmark’s leading sports newspaper

In 2001, I had the opportunity to work with Tips Bladet, Denmark’s most prominent sports and betting newspaper at the time. My role was to create weekly football cartoons that captured the big stories, personalities, and moments from across the football world.

This project was one of my first regular commissions as a freelance illustrator in Denmark, just after working for the English-language newspaper The Copenhagen Post. It gave me the chance to combine two passions: storytelling through drawing, and the rich, dramatic world of football.

Looking back, many of the illustrations are a snapshot of that era. Among the highlights were caricatures of Luís Figo during his Galáctico years at Real Madrid, and Zinedine Zidane in his Juventus days — both unmistakable figures at the height of their careers.

Tips Bladet was a fixture of Danish football culture in print, known for its editorial independence and passionate coverage. It has since transitioned to a digital-only format at tipsbladet.dk, but for many fans (and illustrators), the printed version remains iconic.

You can see a selection of these caricatures above. While some of the references may now be from a different footballing age, the energy and intent behind the drawings still hold — capturing character, movement, and a bit of mischief.