It seems like just yesterday that the Vuvuzelas blared as we sat glued to our television sets to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. This was Africa’s first time hosting the FIFA World Cup, which will forever live in the memories of the host nation as well as Spain, who achieved their own first when Andres Iniesta’s winning goal against the Netherlands put them into the record books as the eighth country to capture soccer’s most prized crown.
Almost four years have flown by since that very moment, and we are now bearing witness to the 2014 FIFA World Cup as it takes place down south in the beautifully lush country of Brazil.
The sheer intensity and competition of the FIFA World Cup has drawn millions of individuals to take notice of the world of fútbol. The World Cup is without a doubt the world’s most widely viewed sporting event, with over 715 million people across the world tuning in to check out the action.
Here are three reasons why you should be one of those 750 million people:
1. Congregation of the Best Soccer Players in the World
It’s a no brainer that the biggest allure in watching the FIFA World Cup is witnessing the most highly touted soccer players in the fútbol world compete on an international stage. Players such as Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, and Cristiano Ronaldo look to showcase exactly what they are capable of. When else are you going to see different types of skills and one-of-a-kind goals concentrated in a single tournament? It’s also a competition where many strategical arguments over the true strengths and abilities of particular players are answered.
2. Pure, Unadulterated Emotion
There are not many sports that have the emotional zeal that soccer has. Have you ever seen a grown man completely break down after a loss? If not, you’ll likely get to see that at the World Cup. There’s just that much at stake for many of these fans and their teams. Also, the show of euphoria when a crucial goal is scored is almost contagious. Even more so if that’s the team you support (Take John Brook’s clutch goal late in USA’s first round game vs. Ghana as an example.). Oh and who can forget the referees? Unlike any other sport, they’re expected to make extremely important calls within seconds with little to no technological help. Because of this, they can make errors which could potentially mess with the fortunes of the team and fans against which the referee has made a decision.
3. ‘Merica: One Nation. One Team. Believe.
In case you missed it, we have our very own US Men’s soccer team still in competition, with a crucial win against Ghana to advance to the second round. As the team suffered from key player injuries (i.e. Landon Donavon) before the World Cup even started, a lot of people had questioned the US’s legitimacy in competing. Now, after achieving victory against Ghana, people are starting to pay close attention to the Yanks. I highly suggest that even the most novice of soccer fans check out their next game versus Portugal on Sunday, June 22nd, as it’s not only an important game for our nation, but internationally as well.