Thoughts While Watching the World Cup
/By Don Varyu
June 2026
veryone watching these matches is happy. The fans in the stadiums are electrified…so transfixed! Yes, they stand stunned when their team forfeits a goal; and crushed when they lose. But these low moments only elevate the celebratory ones.
Nations square off in heated battle here. But nobody is dying. The World Cup is the embodiment of what the United Nations once promised.
We know that the fans we see on camera are entitled; if they did not have uncommon wealth or close association to power, they would not be there. But once inside, that doesn’t matter. The game levels them. Money can buy you a ticket; but not a goal.
Meanwhile, back home in countries around the world, watch parties that sometimes extend into the thousands embrace crowds from all walks of life. They are even more animated. They, too, are happy.
The two most populous nations in the world—China and India—have no team playing. Neither does Russia. But Haiti is there…and so are Cabo Verde and Chechia and Uzbekistan. Talent wins out, and there is talent everywhere.
Soccer is the singular dominant sport in the world because there is virtually no barrier to entry. All that’s required is a ball and some open space. Players who truly excel will be discovered--and may someday become national icons.
I was so enthused to see the three host nations—Canada, America, and Mexico—all win their opening matches in front of home crowds. The hosting responsibilities are underappreciated.
But many residents in those places took pleasure in a psychic reward. Seeing swarms of positive and high energy visitors left the locals saying, “this is the first time things have seemed back to normal since COVID.”
Virtually every player in every match comes from a highly competitive, highly regarded professional league. Most often, that’s in a nation other than the one where he was born. Every four years, the chance to play on a national team means “coming home.”
But on every return, the player finds himself alongside not only “old friends” –but also “strangers.” These include young phenoms, and others who have suddenly “broken through.” Building acceptance, respect and nurturing between constantly evolving teams may be the most vital responsibility for any manager.
This year we have a final look at the man who may be the best to ever play the game: Lionel Messi. He is not, and never has been, the biggest or strongest or fastest player in the world. As a kid, he was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency; and even after treatments, he only grew to 5’7”. He never spends a match running around at breakneck speed. Instead, he relies on his ability to see the entire field and anticipate where the action—and the ball—will lead. This, coupled with unparalleled ball skills, has made him the greatest goal scorer in World Cup history. Talent will out.
The organizing federation, FIFA, reportedly instructed referees to go easy on calling fouls, and issuing penalty cards, in order to increase scoring. Whether that worked is questionable. But in too many cases, this leniency has led to brutal and thuggish play that robs the sport of its elegance. The UFC has no place on a soccer pitch.
Regardless, none can deny that people everywhere are magnetically drawn to this spectacle. Their heroes are fighting—but they are not dying.
People are happy.
