Blood pressure runs high while neck veins bulge as the men of the neighborhood gather in the office of the Muslim Community Report, dimmed by the gates pulled down over the large, rectangular windows to keep out the glare of the sun, keeping their eyes on the World Cup games.
They would sigh, suddenly lunging from their chairs, calling out missed opportunities and referees on their inability to watch the game as closely as they were from a television set, millions of miles away, as though they were no less invested in the game than the Brazilians who had bought tickets to sit there and smell stale, sour sweat while men pounded the turf.
Even as they saw African teams being eliminated like a rash with cream, they were resigned to a lifetime of their teams (the African teams) making it almost there (winning the World Cup) or not all.
At least this year two of the African teams managed to qualify for round three: Nigeria and Algeria. So far all of the African teams have been weak, with Ghana’s two losses and Cameroon’s three. Nigeria and Algeria barely made it to round three.
Most of the South and Central American teams are dominating the flow of the games with more than half of them qualifying for the third round. They are no strangers to making it at least to the World Cup quarter-finals before being eliminated.
I admit I had never watched soccer until this World Cup. At all. Not even a glimpse. Basketball, football, and baseball certainly, but not soccer. Maybe because I am an American, one who had no particular reason to watch a sport I had not grown up surrounded by, like the South Americans who chant, “Soccer is life,” with such gusto. My introduction to the sport didn’t come until I started working for the Muslim Community Report and learned what I had an inkling of from going to a very diverse high school: Soccer is BIG in most other countries.
This being my first World Cup, I came in a little unaware, but I have enjoyed it. The games, where scoring every few minutes, like in basketball, is rare, manage to be exciting with the constant movement and rush of energy from the crowd not seen in sports such as golf.
Nigeria and Algeria don’t seem like they should be taken seriously. The track records for these teams in the World Cup has been abysmal. Both teams squeaked by on one win and draw a piece, so I doubt the chances of them winning are high. If both teams manage to win their games Monday, they will be forced to play against each other making it so that only one African team will have a chance at getting the World Cup. Making chances for Africa winning the World Cup even slimmer.
In comparison, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico have all made it to the finals. Ecuador and Honduras have been eliminated, with Honduras coming in at three losses and Ecuador’s last game with France ended in a draw.
