With the FIFA World Cup excitement building, I thought it would be fun to give my paper lion a football-themed makeover to support England.
My original paper lion design usually features a golden mane, but for this version I changed the mane to England’s colours, creating both blue-maned and red-maned lions. They make a fun display and are a simple way to show your support during the tournament.
The lion itself is folded from three squares of paper, all the same size. For my England lions, I used 7 cm square paper, which creates a compact model that pairs nicely with the miniature football. If you like, you can also draw eyes and a nose on the lion to give it a little extra character.
To complete the scene, I wanted to add a football. I came across a printable football pattern shared by Jeremy Shafer on his YouTube channel, where he demonstrates how to fold the traditional origami water bomb (also known as a water balloon). The printable pattern transforms the classic model into a miniature football.
Because the finished football is quite small, I printed the pattern onto 15 cm square kami paper and then trimmed it down to a 5 cm square before folding. Kami paper is perfect for small models like this because it is thin, easy to fold, and helps keep the finished shape neat and crisp.
If you’d like to make your own England-supporting origami lion, you can follow my step-by-step video tutorial on YouTube. Whether you choose a blue mane, a red mane, or your own team colours, I’d love to see your creations. (Please tag me on Instagram)
Come on England! 🦁⚽
Video Tutorial: Watch my origami lion tutorial on YouTube and fold your own football-supporting lion for the World Cup. 🦁⚽
