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PLANET FOOTBALL Counting down to the sporting spectacle of the year From stadiums that resemble spaceships to national teams that could mark a new era of football, the FIFA World Cup is once again changing the planet’s rhythm T here are sporting events that we follow habitually, while there are others that change the rhythm of the world completely for a few
FOTO: Profimedia / Li Muzi / Xinhua News
est World Cup moments. This will make the Azteca the first stadium in histo- ry to host matches in three different World Cups. The final will take place on 19 th July at New Jersey’s MetLife Sta- dium (aka New York New Jersey Stadi- um), one of the largest and most mod- ern sports complexes in North America. Host cities include, among others, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Guadalajara and Monterrey, with tournament specta- tors expected to include millions of fans from around the world. The new competition format will bring a different dynamic to the tourna- ment. National teams will be divided in- to 12 groups of four, after which the two top teams in each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will ad- vance to the knockout stages. The tour- nament will bring together the largest number of national teams to date, as well as new stadiums, completely differ- ent logistics and serious generational change among the sport’s top nations. And it is precisely this change of generations that brings extra excite- ment to the whole story. The soccer world is entering the post-Lionel Mes- si and Cristiano Ronaldo era. Of course, they still cast long shadows over every major tournament, but they won’t be at the centre of attention for the first time in almost two decades. The spot- light now belongs to players like Ky- lian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior and Lamine Yamal; a generation that wants not on-
ly to lift the trophy, but also to gain the status of new global superstars. Which teams currently look the most threatening? If we are to believe bookmakers and analysts, several national teams have al- ready emerged as the main favourites. France’s squad seems made for tourna- ment football. They have depth that few possess, valuable experience of playing in major finals and perhaps the world’s most lethal transition attack. Mbappe is already the face of modern football, and he seems to be just reaching his best years. England will again arrive with huge expectations, and the almost tra- ditional angst that something will go wrong. However, this generation – led by Bellingham, Saka and Foden – seems more serious, mature and tactically sta- ble than previous squads. Brazil is, of course, among the favourites as always. Despite going through a tumultuous pe- riod, it still possesses the kind of talent that ensures opponents never feel safe. Vinícius Júnior could become the tour- nament’s standout player. Argentina en- ters with the status of reigning champi- ons and has huge emotional capital after winning the previous World Cup. Even if Messi is no longer at the centre of the story, Argentina now has that essential confidence. And then there are the na- tional teams that rank among the less- er but still threatening favourites, which are known for causing major upsets: Portugal, Spain, Germany and the Neth- erlands.
weeks. The FIFA World Cup falls into the latter category. People who ordinar- ily don’t even know who’s competing in the UEFA Champions League final sud- denly start checking fixtures, planning watch parties with friends, discussing their favourites and making the most of that special atmosphere that prevails ex- clusively during the World Cup. And that’s no accident. The Football World Cup isn’t just a sporting event; it’s a global cultural phenomenon. A blend of emotions, national pride, pop culture, business, fashion, music and huge dos- es of drama that ensue when billions of people simultaneously watch the same pitch. No other sporting event unifies the planet like this festival of football. And this time around the world‘s atten- tion is focused on a tournament that will be historic in multiple ways. Firstly, it will unfold from 11 th June to 19 th July and will be the first World Cup in history to be held in three coun- tries: the United States of America, Can- ada and Mexico. The tournament will also include a record number of nation- al teams: 48 instead of the previous 32, meaning that a record total of 104 games will be played. The opening match is set to take place at Mexico City’s Estadio Azte- ca, the legendary venue where Pele and Diego Maradona recorded their great-
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