I won’t put up a front – I’m no soccer fan. Sure, I’ve played Fifa on my Playstation here and there, but I’d be lying if I told you I could name more than five footballers. However, there’s just something about the World Cup that gets me actually excited to watch soccer. I don’t know if it’s my strong sense of nationalism or just that my fantasy football team sucks, but I never thought I would be willing to watch two completely random countries compete in a game I barely understand at 7:00 am.
The best part about the World Cup isn’t the actual tournament itself, but rather how it evokes a heated passion amongst people in countries worldwide, big or small. Even we as Americans get deeply invested in the World Cup – when we make it – and we could be watching LeBron play basketball or Steph Curry play golf. But, for the month that this tournament lasts, my Twitter feed will be filled with Pulisic highlights, and I’m perfectly okay with that.
While the World Cup is great for Americans, the overseas excitement isn’t even comparable. It’s probably just the insane amount of alcohol being consumed, but there really is just a special aura that surrounds this tournament. I love the videos of an overcrowded bar erupting after a goal is scored, but do you know what I love even more? Drunk fight videos. They truly never get old.
