FC Santa Claus: The only Christmas team in the world
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Based in Lapland, Finland, FC Santa Claus can officially claim to being the most Christmassy football club EVER.
The club were founded in 1993 after local sides Rovaniemen Reipas and Rovaniemen Lappi merged together to form the most festive side in the world.
Naturally, the team plays in red and white, and their honorary boss is Saint Nick, better known as Santa Claus to children around the globe.
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They played their first professional match in 1993 and their highest point came in 2010, when they came top of the third tier and were agonisingly close to promotion, only to concede a late goal in their final play-off match.
Not bad for a side that are made up of students and locals who work at the Christmas market or at the post office that receives letters for Santa Claus.
Last year, they played in the fifth tier of Finnish football, but then stopped, and only have a team featuring in a local eight-a-side league this year.
The senior men's team will be revived next month, though, with a German coach - Ralf Wunderlich - at the helm.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Wunderlich, who has been a football coach for 22 years, said:
If you like Christmas, and I do, then this place is very good - it's all about Christmas here.
You have some kind of Christmas feeling the whole year without being too much - a whole year of positive feelings.
Of course, Santa is not officially in charge, but in the background everyone knows he runs this club.
The club play games in Rovaniemi - Lapland's capital, in an area surrounded by forest, reindeer and the sight of the Northern Lights.
Lapland has long been the home of Santa Claus according to Finnish folklore, although he was originally claimed to reside in Korvatunturi a further 150 miles north-east.
The city's main team has always been RoPS, who were relegated from Finland's first division back in November.
FC Santa Claus are the locals' second team, and the players who represent them are often those who aren't good enough to play at a higher level and enjoy the spirit of Christmas.
Despite the lack of on-field success, spirits remain typically high around the club, with Santa Claus himself even acting as the team's mascot on occasion.
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I like the idea of being Santa Claus' official club - such a big potential to be cheerful and spread positive messages.
For me it is very important people realise it is not just FC Santa Claus in name but the whole spirit of Santa and values around Christmas.
I will do my best to make the whole world understand there is this positive small football club in north Finland representing Santa.
It is such an open-minded club and I have realised how much of a big Christmas fan I actually am. Growing up in Germany I loved the feeling, but now I am actually living it, being part of the Christmas tradition.
I feel so proud and happy the whole time, going outside in the jacket with the Santa Claus logo - the kids come up to me and give me a high five.
There is a lot of negativity in football, jealously and envy, but there is none of that here - I have never been so happy in my life doing what I love.
When I was here the first time, Santa walked up to me and said my name. Even though I am adult I was like: "Wow, Santa Claus said my name!" It gave me such a good feeling.
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