Renowned tenor Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007) achieved fame far beyond the operatic stage, becoming an instantly recognisable figure to millions who had never been inside an opera house. His recording of the aria Nessun Dorma from Puccini's Turandot made him a household name when it was adopted as the theme tune for BBC television’s broadcasts of the 1990 World Cup. On the eve of the World Cup final on 7 July 1990 Pavarotti appeared in Rome alongside Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, in what was the first of a series of arena concerts which brought worldwide attention to the singers, billed as the Three Tenors. Physically, the bearded and bulky Pavarotti was the most distinctive of the three. The tenors toured internationally and became associated with the FIFA World Cup, giving concerts to mark the tournament in 1994, 1998 and 2002.

The association with football was not inappropriate. Pavarotti was a great follower of the game. He grew up in the Italian city of Modena and in his youth had played for the local junior team and held ambitions to play professionally as a goalkeeper. This fact has been a gift to cartoonist Claude, who depicts an evening-jacketed Pavarotti blocking the Modena goal mouth.