#nothing like the bond between kylian mbappe and an old man

[mbebe-fc]

petting a sad puppy

[nicolasospina]

World Cup Madness

Why I chose the World Cup

           Every 4 years, the world comes together and celebrates the beautiful game. It is a month of wild emotions ranging from pure joy to utter heartbreak all for the honor of holding up the golden trophy.

           Ever since I was a child, the world cup is celebrated in my family as a unification of every Colombian in the world cheering for a common goal, to reign victorious over any team that faces against us.  My dad has instilled in my siblings and I with a love and passion for soccer that surpasses the common notion that soccer is just a sport. It is a way of life.

           The World Cup always finds a way into my conversation at least once a day during that amazing month, for some reason it lets me share a common interest with someone that I normally I might not talk to. I have had random people call me out on the street and want to talk to me just because I have a Colombia jersey or any of my other jersey’s on and want to see if they can watch the game with me; under any other circumstance that would be an awkward encounter, but during the world cup it seem normal and actually quite unifying.  

           Colombia is not the only team I cheer for, I always like to see any Latin country win because I feel like I share an unspoken bond between them. I love to see Argentina, Brazil and will always root for Peru because the vast amount of my friends are Peruvian and seeing them happy makes me happy too. When it comes to game time though, no one is more important than my home country. I will die a happy man with a jersey in my casket that has my colors wrapped around me.

          Watching the world cup here in Gainesville has given me to realize that a lot of Americans do not care for the world cup which is baffling to me. They don’t even know that it’s happening or do not care for it. I have tried to teach my roommates to watch the games with me, but they don’t seem so interested as I am.        

         This year in particular has been unique to me as well because this is the first time my entire family is separated, my parents are in Russia cheering on Colombia, my brother is back home in South Florida and my sister is Washington D.C working. It has been difficult because I love watching these games with my family, but I know that no matter where they are in the world, they carry the Ospina spirit for the love of the game.

History of the World Cup

         The first competition for the cup was organized in 1930 by the Fédération International deFootball Association (FIFA) and was won byUruguay.  

          Held every four years since that time, except duringWorld War II, the competition consists of international sectional tournaments leading to a final elimination event made up of 32 national teams.

          Unlike Olympic football,World Cup teams are not limited to players of a certain age or amateur status, so the competition serves more nearly as a contest between the world’s best players.  

     The first ever World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930 to mark the country's centennial. And the host nation went and won it, defeating rival Argentina 4-2.

      This year the World Cup will be held in Russia, it is spread over 1,800 miles from the exclave of Kaliningrad on the coast of the Baltic Sea to Ekaterinburg and at the base of the Ural Mountains.

      The largest venue is also one of the newest - with the 81,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium only reopened in 2018 on the site of the old ground in Moscow.

      The first game will be held on the 14thJune and the final is on the 14thof July. The final will most likely be the most viewed televised event in history due to the vast amount of abilities of watching the final compared to prior years.

Image From: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41586162

Sources:

https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/history/first-fifa-world-cup.html

https://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/archive/worldcup/index.html

Top Teams of the world cup

Brazil

     This has been the best team in World Cup qualifying and just dominated the most challenging region. With Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and veterans at the back, Brazil is back and looking as strong as it's been in quite a while.

     In the history of World Cup football, Brazilhas been participating in all the editions, the only team that did so. Holding five titles, it is also the most successful country in soccer.

Germany

     They are the reigning champs. Loaded with talent but maybe not as good as the 2014 World Cup team, they still have what it takes to win the cup, and this could be the coming out party for striker Timo Werner. Germany is Germany. They've made the quarterfinals every year since the 1982 World Cup, making at least the semis in the last four, finishing second in 2002, third in 2006 and 2010 and winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

France

     Nothing will compare to the magic of the 1998 team, but this French team is up there with the best in the world and is absolutely stacked in attack. With Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and more, scoring goals shouldn't be a problem. If the defense can find consistency and a centerback pairing that can show unity, watch out.

Spain

     Spain is back and better than ever after that horrific display in Brazil, Diego Costa, Iago Aspas and Rodrigo have starred for their clubs and have made big impacts with the national team as of late, giving Julen Lopetegui, the coach, some flexibility. It's always all about the midfield in Spain, and Isco's emergence at Real Madrid has been a great sign.

Portugal

     This team won Euro 2016, but they were only in the knockout stage due to that ridiculous cup expansion that resulted in some third-place teams advancing. With Cristiano Ronaldo you always have a chance, but this team is no "favorite" to win. Pepe is getting up there and the central defense has some questions, so there probably isn't enough there to win it.

Sources: 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2018/06/13/world-cup-rankings-looks-good-ahead-kick-off-russia/

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/11/sports/world-cup-groups.html

Best Players

10. Antoine Griezmann from France

     He is fast and fun and a deadly finisher, he was also the top scorer at Euro 2016. He plays much bigger than he stands on the field. Surrounded by young, fast, attacking talent, it will be Griezmann who leads the attack.

9. N’Golo Kante from France

     The best defensive midfielder in the world without question and very crucial to France’s hopes of winning the title.

8. Paulo Dybala from Argentina

     Coming off a pair of big breakout seasons, he is Argentina’s great hope for the future.

7. Toni Kroos from Germany

     The heartbeat of the team for the defending champion and at 28, continues to get even sharper.

6. Luka Modric from Croatia

      A Real Madrid Superstar who even recently hinted he’d like to end his career in MLS. If he came now, he would be a sensation parallel to no other.

5. Neymar from Brazil

     Brazil’s attacking genius is probably the most famous person in his country, added pressure that perhaps hindered him in their last World Cup, held in Rio, in which they were eliminated in embarrassing fashion when they lost to Germany, 7-1, in the semifinal. Neymar is back and wants a trophy to prove he is the best in the world.

4. Kevin De Bruyne from Belgium

     A master organizer and creator, there may be no smarter player on the planet. He has created a near unbeatable season with Manchester City and is one of the best Midfielders on the planet, he is a unstoppable force with the ball near his feet.

3. Mohamed Salah from Egypt

     The man who may finally crack the top-two world domination of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Salah just put together one of the finest club seasons ever, leading Liverpool to aChampions League final appearance. He did suffer a shoulder injury in that final, however, and it was in question to whether he would be at full strength, but he came to play with heart against Uruguay.

2. Lionel Messi from Argentina

     Unstoppable for most opponents, but still waiting for an elusive major trophy with Argentina.

     Messi isn’t just a brilliant player for Barcelona and Argentina, he’s possibly the best to ever play, period. But Argentina’s inability to win a major international tournament has some fans questioning if he needs a win this World Cup to cement his legacy.

Image From: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44512589

1. Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal

     Portugal’s dazzling star would probably be famous for his face alone, even if he weren’t right there as one of the best to play the game … ever. Portugal won a Euro tournament and is looking to come together extremely well around their star, too.

Image From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5854267/Cristiano-Ronaldo-eclipsing-Diego-Maradona-Pele-Lionel-Messi.html

Sources:

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/10-players-to-look-out-for-in-the-world-cup-2018

https://www.vox.com/world/2018/6/12/17424948/2018-world-cup-messi-ronaldo-neymar-salah-players

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/worldcup/2018/05/29/fifa-world-cup-greatest-players-never-win/605646002/

VAR Controversey

     Former Socceroos midfielder Craig Foster has lashed out at the controversial VAR decision that proved the difference in Australia’s World Cup loss to France. With the game tied at 0-0, France striker Antoine Griezmann went down in the box following a challenge from Josh Risdon and was waved off by match referee Andres Cunha.

     However, just a few minutes later the VAR review ruled a penalty against the Australians which Griezmann duly converted. The controversial refereeing tool, utilized in the World Cup this year for the first time, had not really been needed in any of the first two days of action, but came to the forefront of proceedings in the opening Group C clash.

     The role of the VAR is to assist the referee to determine whether there was an infringement that means a goal should not be awarded. As the ball has crossed the line, play is interrupted so there is no direct impact on the game.

     The role of the VAR is also to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with the award or non-award of a penalty kick and to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with sending off or not sending off a player.

     Many purists have been adamantly against the use of VAR because it for them it ruins the flow of the game and stops the purity of the sport that before had calls that were wrong and was just part of the way of the game, people got over it.  However, others are fully in favor of the ref’s judgement call, and of the use of VAR as a whole at this tournament.

Image from; http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12098/11268754/var-backed-for-use-at-world-cup-by-fifa-president-gianni-infantino

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/gallery/2018/jun/16/world-cup-2018-france-deny-australia-amid-var-controversy-in-pictures

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12098/11406778/australia-coach-bert-van-marwijk-unhappy-at-var-controversy-in-defeat-to-france

https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/france-v-australia-var-griezmann-penalty-decision-world-cup/