The two late goals scored by England to defeat the T&T Soca Warriors in the FIFA World Cup on Thursday may have been too much for local fans to bear. However, Trinidad-born artist Richard Martinez has left the visiting contingent in Germany with lots to roar about.
While the Warriors failed to advance the second round of play in the competition following that Group B loss Martinez's latest creation, a two-metre tall soca warriors bear, will ensure this country is represented up to final minute of play on July 9.
Martinez's painted bear is one of 142, created by artist from around the globe, to line the Unter den Linden (Football Mile) leading up to the entrance of the Berlin Stadium where the finals will be contested.
For the 48-year-old artist, who has spent the past 25 years between T&T and London, it's an absolute honour.
"I am really honoured, it's absolutely fantastic to have this opportunity and in many ways it's my contribution to the national team," the talented artist said during a recent interview at Express House.
The charity project headed by the United Buddy Bears campaign in Berlin is an annual money-raising event for UNICEF.
Funding for material and the travel expenses of the artists were covered by the governments of their respective countries and all money earned from the sales of miniature replicas will be donated to the children's organisation.
The actual life-size bears are to be taken on a tour across Europe, Asia and Australia to promote the goodwill messages of UNICEF as well as the sales of their replicas.
The T&T bear features a design reflecting the most famous exponents of this country, the energy sector, football team, national instrument and Carnival. It is moulded from fiberglass and glazed with a clear protective coating and cost an estimated 2,500 Euros (about 15,500TT) to build. The T&T High Commission in London funded the project.
"The energy base of our economy is shown in the legs of the bear, the shorts show our football, the chest our steel pan, the northern range and our Carnival and the face our national flag," he said with a nod.
The back of the bear, which features a scantily clad female masquerader dancing in front of a spectrum of colours, is even more spectacular than the front.
"She taking a wine on the back," Martinez added with a chuckle.
Four Caribbean nations are represented in the display as painted bears from Jamaica, Barbados and Antigua & Barbuda were also included in the presentation that opened in the German capital on Thursday.