Even though the United States isn’t in the World Cup this year, there are still plenty of reasons to tune in. You might not have been watching the last couple of weeks, but you still have until July 15th to check out the games. The great aspect of the World Cup is starting to watch halfway through doesn’t mean you’ll need to catch up; you can just check team standings before you begin watching. Even if you’re not a huge soccer fan, you’ll still find the games enjoyable and can pick a team to root for. Here are some of the top reasons to tune into the World Cup this year.
Feel the thrill of victory
Even if the United States isn’t playing, choose another team to support. Regardless of the team, you’ll feel a thrill as you celebrate their victories with them and become invested in how that team plays. Simply rooting on a random team can be great fun.
Learn about another country
Once you choose what team to support, do some research on the country that team represents, who the players are, and what the predictions for them are this year. You might learn something you didn’t know before and will feel a genuine connection as you watch people from that country work toward victory.
Politics play a role
Many people view the World Cup as simply a sports match, but it’s more than that. Countries from all over the world are competing against each other. Each country has vastly different governments and cultures; it’s inevitable that politics play a role in how others respond to specific wins and losses. A great example of how politics play into the response to the World Cup is to take a look at some of the headlines that cropped up after Germany’s loss to South Korea.
Learn about great athletes
If you’re unfamiliar with soccer and the great athletes involved in the professional soccer world, the World Cup is your opportunity to learn more about them. Two of the best players to watch are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Even if you aren’t a big fan of soccer, you’ll be able to appreciate the incredible skill of these two men as they play the sport. They’re two of the best athletes in the world right now, so take time to watch them play.
Know what other people are talking about
Finally, a great reason to watch the World Cup is simply because you know a lot of people around you will be watching it too. If you’re even remotely interested in it, you can make plans with your friends or coworkers to watch games and spend some quality time together!