Growing up as a reader of Sports Illustrated and a fan of soccer were two mutually exclusive things. Every week, I’d immediately flip through the magazine looking for an article from Grant Wahl or a blurb concerning the world’s game, but it was an extremely rare occurrence.
Argentina began its World Cup tune-ups in earnest on Tuesday with the first of two friendlies before opening group play against Iceland on June 16. La Albiceleste welcomed Haiti to La Bombonera in Buenos Aires — a meeting between the nations currently holding spots five and 108 in the FIFA World Rankings.
It’s the big one, and it kicks off in just three weeks time. The 2018 FIFA World Cup will implant heroes and villains into the global conscious as 31 nations fall by the wayside and one becomes legend. This summer will mark the 21st edition of the tournament, so there’s an abundance of choice for the top World Cup players of all time.
This World Cup, just like the 2010 and 2014 events preceding it, will be dominated by the narrative surrounding Lionel Messi and Argentina. You know the one: Maradona lifted La Albiceleste to the ’86 title (he was well-marshalled by Lothar Matthaus in the final, but we don’t speak about that) and Messi needs to do the same to earn our love and respect. It’s tired, untrue but extremely captivating.
Celebrating its first FIFA World Cup appearance in 36 years, Peru sent a fantastic reminder of its footballing heritage and indomitable spirit to Group C rivals France, Denmark and Australia via Twitter.
The two-minute hype video will send shivers down your spine with shots of the Andes mountains, the Amazon Basin, Lima, Machu Picchu and the nation’s brilliant World Cup qualifying campaign (take a seat, Luis Suarez).
Rooting for a particular team is one of the most compelling reasons to watch sports, especially soccer. But what do you do when your team isn’t in soccer’s most compelling tournament? What is the best way to watch the World Cup if your nation isn’t involved, as many from the U.S., Italy and the Netherlands are asking themselves right now?