That is the essence of the World Cup.
It is cultural.
It brings groups of people together who normally find every reason to disagree and avoid each other.
It is a fascinating insight into the human psyche.
It is deeply pure.
3
Being a Dr. Who fan, I can't avoid but appreciate the irony of the fact that the UK was defeated by a Dalic.
1
I love the World Cup and look forward to its arrival every four years. It’s how I mark life events. I recall in July of 1982 when Italy won the cup how in mere minutes my mother and her hometown friends who had gathered at our home to watch the final game fabricated out of thin air an Italian flag and planted it on the front lawn of our home in a northern suburb of Toronto. My mother was a seamstress, as were her friends, and they used bits of leftover fabric to construct the flag. Radzmir silk never had a better purpose. My dad, a builder of homes, had lots of wood lying around for the pole so that flag looked mighty fine flying in front of our house. Sadly this year Italy did not qualify for the games, being spared the humiliation of losing and being sent home. Nevertheless I chose other countries to cheer on and after Iceland and Belgium left, settled on England as Canada has strong ties to that country. I ended up crying when they lost. The World Cup is great drama and brings everyone together for one magical month. Can’t hardly wait for 2022.
3
I am not a huge soccer fan.
The World Cup has never commanded my attention as much as it has this year (disclaimer: I am Croatian)
Perhaps because of the delicate state of the world these days, I have felt more spirit and camaraderie than ever before. Perhaps humans are seeking out any way they can to connect and bond in these troubled days. Co-workers, friends, acquaintances, the guy at the Bagel Place, and my pharmacist have all expressed their well wishes for my team and seem genuinely excited to root for us. This has really made my heart warm. I never understood why sports were so important to people around the world. I think I'm finally starting to get it.
21