Every four years, over a billion people all over the world tune in to watch the biggest event in sports history:  the FIFA World Cup. This soccer tournament showcases the top 16 countries duking it out to establish the best men’s national soccer team. Individuals stop everything they’re doing to watch their favorite teams make their way to the top and make their countries proud. 

The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in July of 1930 when Jules Rimet, the FIFA president at the time, wanted to host an international men’s football tournament. Since then, the World Cup has been held every four years, allowing time for international teams to go through qualification tournaments and playoffs. This determines who gets to play in the World Cup, while also leaving time for players to play for their own clubs. It’s a pretty long and teasing process, but it makes the World Cup an even more thrilling event to watch with all the anticipation. 

Brazil has the most World Cup titles, with a staggering five wins dating all the way back to 1958. The most recent team to win the World Cup, however, was the French National Team in 2018. This is only France’s second title, but with many big names for their attacking front, such as Karim Benzema, Kylian Mpappé and Ousmane Dembélé, their team is certainly capable of bringing the trophy home. 

Not everyone has their eyes on the big dogs, such as Brazil or France. Some people feel there could be a lot of surprises this year with many other competing countries.

 “I’m most excited about Germany in the World Cup. The youth is what excites me the most and the quality of the players,” junior Jerry Gomez said. Gomez has been keeping up with the approaching World Cup. 

The 2022 World Cup, held in Qatar, is only a few weeks away. As we get closer to the biggest sporting event in history, people are exhilarated to watch the most entertaining skills showcased by their home teams. It can be easy to feel upset if your team is eliminated, but for an event that happens infrequently, enjoy it while it lasts.