The World Is Watching
- Stephen Salazar
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Soccer. Football. fútbol. However you say it around your neck of the woods can be a beautiful thing. The FIFA World Cup has shown us just that. From 0-0 draws to 7-1 complete dominations. Yet still fans come together to celebrate the game and for a small time we can come together and forget all of the nonsense in the world.
Every four years we get to experience the best players in the world come together and battle it out for the right to say they are the best in the world. Argentina and Messi, Portugal and Ronaldo, The USA and Pulisic, France and Mbappé, the best! I know, I know. I probably missed your favorite player. But if I were to write all of them down I’d be here for the next week straight typing this out. But since we’re on the topic, Ochoa is the GOAT.
A little over a month of head-to-head battles. This year, the Copa runs from June 11 to July 19. Totaling in 104 matches to decide the world champion. Another interesting fact, this is the first time the World Cup has had three co-hosts. Mexico, Canada, and the United States are the three hosting countries for this edition of the world cup.
I can go on and on about WHAT the world cup IS. But that isn’t really what I want to do. I want to tell you why this tournament is so beautiful. Why this is so much more than a 90 (plus added time) minute match.
The first time I watched professional soccer was many years ago at my grandparents’ house. A small town in California. Sitting on the couch with my grandpa looking at the screen seeing people pass the ball back and forth. Kick to the midfielder, cross to the other side defender. I had no idea what the heck was going on. But, I didn’t care. One, it was a sport, and two, any time watching sports with family is special.
As I continued to watch I noticed it wasn’t just any team. It was the Mexican National Select team. “El Tri”. My grandparents were born in Mexico so naturally, those green jerseys were the ones we rooted for. Even to this day, my allegiance lies with Mexico. The US is there too, but fútbol is the one sport I’ll root for Mexico over The United States.
That’s what makes this tournament so special. The pride, the passion, and the memories
that are made. The more I watch the matches, the more I seem to notice. There’s a whole lot more to this than the final score. The fans are having a great time cheering on their nations. Losing 7-1 is hard, sorry Curaçao, yet fans stay excited and enjoy the match.
That brings me back to the thought. For 90 minutes, fans can get away from everything. All there is to worry about is what is happening on the pitch. You can focus on cheering on your nation (or favorite player/country). Everything else seems to evaporate. When I watch a match in the World Cup I’m stressed, but it is not from the political decisions or crazy things happening around the world. I’m stressed because Raúl Rangel had to make the save of the tournament to preserve a win. Yes, I’m competitive like that. I know, kinda goes against what I said earlier, but to each their own. This type of stress is my “get away” stress. I love sports. But still, it takes my mind off things and that is what makes this awesome.
The best part about soccer is that literally anyone can play. That’s why it is called “the world’s game.” I’ve seen multiple commercials that promote this. All you need is a ball and some space. Boom, soccer. Having more people around the game makes it that much more special. A person from Spokane, Washington can connect with someone from Cabo Verde and talk football. It’s a beautiful thing.
The host countries for this year’s edition of the World Cup are Mexico, The United States, and Canada. It has been interesting to see the variety of social media posts with the tourists reacting to the cultural differences that each country has. The food, the events, the social life. People from all over the world come together to celebrate the heritage of each country and enjoy multiple matches.
It’s been amazing to see the fun that the fans are having. Joining together on a march to the stadium. Streets flooded with fans all ready to enjoy a match they hope is the best they will ever see. The excitement in the air growing with each passing minute. All leading up to the kickoff of the game. Once inside, the energy remains and you can hear, and feel, it through your tv!
With the round of 32 approaching, I encourage you to find a match, sit down, and enjoy the ride. You may not be the biggest of football fans, but it can have you on the edge of your seat. Whether you watch it in Spanish, English, or any other language, the broadcasters bring the game to a whole new level of excitement. Adding to the drama while passing along the information you need to keep up with the game. In fact, as I’m writing this, Lionel Messi just broke the record for most World Cup points, with his 17th goal all time in World Cups. The man who many believe is the greatest player in the world, now has five goals in Argentina’s first two matches. A hat trick game one against Algeria and two more against Austria.
The World’s Game can be a beautiful thing. And for a month the world has the chance to see that firsthand. Games can be seen on NBC, Peacock, Fox, and more. Check it out!
The schedule can be found here.
Standings can be found here.
Who will win the cup?
Spain
Argentina
Germany
USA
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