These plaster head busts were created by master craftsman Dante Mortet who proudly showed off what each player looked like after penetrating the defense and placing the ball in the net.
This one time art exhibition by Italian sculptor pays tribute to soccer icons, such as Pele, Maradona, David Beckham, and more.
These masterpieces were commissioned by Ambassador Paulo Zampolii, who is the United States special envoy for global partnerships.
Dante was hard at work for months with his son Lorenzo in the workshop that was started by his family 150 years ago applying his craft the old-fashioned way, with eyes and hands, no computers or 3-D printers.
Dante Mortet is the heir of a dynasty of artists and craftsmen with distant origins: the Mortet family moved to Italy from France in the mid-1800s. The Mortet workshop was founded in Florence by Aurelio Mortet, with some of his children taking up wood carving, while Armando and Dante specialized in the art of chiseling.
Now the works will be on display at various events next year when the World Cup begins in North America.
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