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SportsPhotographer's Union Berlin cap goes viral during World Cup final broadcast
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During the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium in New York, a photographer wearing a 1. FC Union Berlin baseball cap was spotted on the broadcast, creating a viral moment for the German club. The photographer, Scott W. Coleman from Texas, is an internationally renowned press photographer who became a Union Berlin fan after learning about the club's history and the fan-led renovation of the Alte Försterei stadium in 2008. Coleman regularly wears the cap at US sports events as a conversation starter to promote the club. Union Berlin acknowledged the moment on Instagram, asking fans if they saw it too. Coleman's wife supports 1. FC Köln, creating a friendly rivalry between the couple.
Source report
A Surprise Appearance on the Biggest Stage
In a remarkable twist, 1. FC Union Berlin found itself in the spotlight during the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain (0:1 a.e.t.) at MetLife Stadium in New York. During the broadcast, as the linesman appeared on screen after an offside call, attentive viewers spotted a photographer behind him wearing a black baseball cap—featuring the unmistakable crest of 1. FC Union Berlin.
For many Union fans, it was a genuine goosebump moment.
The Man Behind the Cap
The individual wearing the Union cap is internationally renowned press photographer Scott W. Coleman from Texas, USA. With his headwear, he inadvertently created an unexpected Bundesliga moment on football's grandest stage.
In an Instagram post to an Italian Union fan club, Coleman explained:
"Even though it's difficult and expensive to have fan merchandise shipped to the USA, I bought a cap and some other fan items on my first trip to the Alte Försterei in 2024—when I started traveling regularly to Germany and Europe to cover sports events. I've been wearing the cap regularly at sports events in the USA ever since. It's a good conversation starter because very few people there know Union Berlin."
He added:
"This way, I have the opportunity to encourage people to engage with the club's history, understand it better, and perhaps expand the fan base in the USA. My wife's favorite club, on the other hand, is 1. FC Köln: With their return to the Bundesliga, we now have a game where we can cheer against each other! Eisern!"
Union Celebrates the TV Moment
The Köpenick-based club quickly noticed the curious TV moment. On Instagram, the club asked with a wink:
"You saw it too, right?"
The enthusiasm at the club matched that of its fans.
A Long-Standing Connection
Coleman's link to Union Berlin runs deep. He first became aware of the Eisernen through the club's extraordinary history—particularly the modernization of the Alte Försterei in 2008, when around 2,000 Union supporters volunteered their labor to make the stadium fit for the future.
Coleman shared:
"I got to know Union Berlin many years ago when I read the club's history. I greatly appreciate what Union Berlin has meant to people in difficult times and how the fans saved the club more than once."
Coleman has previously combined his two passions, photographing several matches of 1. FC Union Berlin.
Source
BILD - SportWestern
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Union Berlin Logo Spotted on Photographer's Cap During World Cup Final