The World Cup for People Who Don’t Watch the World Cup
I wrote my last blog on my moral quandary about the World Cup. I haven’t resolved those feelings, but I’ve let myself watch the games and there are moments that have stuck with me. Here they are in timeline order:
Grealish’s Goal Celebration during ENG vs. IRN:
I am always enamored by goal celebrations. They give insight into a player’s personality and the team dynamic. There’s something about unadulterated joy that’s so contagious. Even when someone is scoring against my team, I still (usually) give them props. On November 21, England had six opportunities to celebrate. It was the last goal that sparked my interest. Jack Grealish did a little arm wiggle when he scored in the 90th minute.
Turn’s out, Jack had met a fan a few weeks prior. The boy, Finlay, has cerebral palsy and had written to his favorite footballer. Jack’s own sister lives with the condition and there’s a precious video of them meeting each other. In the video, Jack promises to dedicate his next goal and celebration to Finlay. Finlay asks Jack to do the worm, which Jack declines - saying he doesn’t know how to do it. They decide on an arm wiggle instead. Jack fulfills his promise, as his next goal just happened to be at the World Cup.
I found the moment to be wholesome and heartwarming - a reminder of what football can mean to people. That little boy will cherish that goal for a lifetime, and it puts things into perspective. It restored some excitement around the sport for me.
USA’s Goal Against Wales
Here’s the thing - I didn’t have the U.S. going very far in my bracket. I was rooting for them, but I was rooting for Gareth Bale more (look him up and you’ll get it). It was to my complete and utter surprise when Tim Weah scored the first goal for the U.S. I screamed so loud that my roommate was concerned. When I told her what happened, we both chanted “U-S-A, U-S-A” for about a minute straight. That goal ignited my patriotism and I was glad to see us end in a tie (with Bale scoring the goal for Wales).
I liked getting to learn more about the Weah legacy and what a World Cup goal meant for him and his father (a former footballer that won the prestigious Ballon d’Or). His father never got to go to the World Cup, so it was a big deal for his son to score that first goal. I shared all these details and more, as I reenacted the big goal for my roommates that missed the game. I’m way better than an instant replay or a highlights reel.
Richarlson’s Goal on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. This year, I spent it with my friend Liz and her people. I’ve forced her to go to many a Revs game with me, so she’s aware of my obsession with the sport. She turned on the BRA vs. SRB game just as Richarlson scored his first goal. Then, at the 73rd minute, we watched him scissor kick into a second goal. It was genuinely beautiful to watch. We watched with a family friend of Liz’s, who was from Panama and grew up loving the Brazilian National Team because of Pele (who is currently hospitalized).
The Brazil Team has gotten some slack online about their dancing at the end of games, which is kind of silly to me. When we start restricting how people can celebrate, we’re taking away from tradition and culture. So, let them dance!
USA vs. IRN
This game was intense for a number of reasons, and it started with the press conferences. Tyler Adams, the USMNT captain, was asked how he could play for a country where Black people are treated unjustly. The 23-year old gave a response: “It’s a process and as long as you see progress, that’s the most important thing.” I recommend watching the whole clip. I was proud to have him represent the men’s team and speak so honestly.
Iran had a lot on the line, with the nation’s uprising for the murder of Mahsa Amini. The team captain, Ehsan Hajsafi offered “condolences to all the grieving families in Iran,” during a press conference. The players refused to sing the national anthem in solidarity with protesters. The team is government sponsored and there can be real ramifications if the players don’t win. They lost the game to the U.S. and it was heartbreaking to watch.
The part that had the most impact, was when Antonee Robinson hugged an Iranian player on the pitch after the final whistle. He held Ramin Rezian as he cried, and I couldn’t help but admire that human moment between two people. It really is more than a game, and there’s more on the line than just winning and losing. That moment of true sportsmanship will stick with me.
The Death of My Bracket
This seems silly compared to everything else, but I was so excited for my World Cup bracket. I was number one in the league (tied with six others) for about 90 minutes. I was insufferable the entire time. My bracket took multiple hits with Wales and Mexico not advancing. I don’t care what is statistically reasonable, I was still rooting for them. I’m far too competitive for someone who barely knows what’s going on.
I even outsourced my second chance bracket to a friend’s child. Unfortunately, I was told that “we’re born alone. We die alone. We pick our brackets alone.” - Orson Welles via CJP.
Harsh but fair.
Now that my bracket is dead, I can enjoy each game for what it is. I can feel for Japan’s loss during the penalty shootouts and cheer with Morocco for their historic win. I’ll watch the rest of the games, but I wanted to share some other articles I’ve been reading and podcasts I’ve been listening to fuel my moral quandary:
The Last Cup on Messi Economics
Anything Adam Crafton writes about migrant workers in Qatar.
