How does the FIFA begin?

  

We were never American footfall fans.  During the Super Bowl, we ate guacamole and chips with the best of them.

My husband specifically chose our college simply because he might get on the soccer team It was a small Midwest college and the coach saw that John was coming from Switzerland which he thought meant a good player. Not so, but John did play from the bench most of the time.

So now the FIFA World Cup is in full swing! We watch it, listen to it, and enjoy it. It may not be important to everyone what country wins, the joy is there.  

But how do these talented muscular players start off? Or of any sport start off?

With a lot of work, this happens:

 

Happy children, smiling! 

 There is this as part of the beginning: 

It starts off with the parents, those amazing people who take the future sports heroes to training, then to games, and then on to their futures.

Is it football or is it foot-ball?

The way it is

Which one is it? Which is the REAL football?

Of course, we know the authentic American football we know, but some may not love (which is me).

Not again!

Super Bowl is coming, and many rejoice. Some already know and care that the LA Rams and Boston New England Patriots will be facing off.  

The excitement happens with each team as they slam and smash, leap to intercept, and cruise into end zone, with the obligatory end zone dance.

We all know people like that. 

Oh, yeah.

They may/will have Doritos on the table with some sort of beer (American maybe) in the cooler. There will be chips/crisps and dip (French onion), tortilla chips and guacamole, and maybe a vegetable platter. Faces may be painted in team colors. Oh, and don't forget the strange over-sized foam finger.
  

Most Valuable Player

For me, that day is only for the commercials. And, whenever there is one of these clever commercials, the players are hanging around waiting for them to be over.

But is it foot-ball?

Pele

No, it isn't for me.  The real foot-ball (called soccer here) came from Europe. The World Cup has action that doesn't stop, so much so that there are rarely any commercials. 

When we were visiting family in Switzerland (2014), red with a white cross was prominent everywhere. At the AirBnB where we stayed, we watched each game with German commentators. But we didn't need any help understanding the action. It was awesome.

Pubs are filled with shouting fans, team colors flood the streets, and sometimes, too often sadly, disputes can break out in the stadium. 

Russia vs. Egypt 2019

 But in watching this game where action never stops, we see players who are passionate and in top physical shape.

The photos says it all.

Fans don't leave to get beers/lager/ale, but are watching every play. 

I don't know about most bloggers, but this foot-ball is the real one, the one to watch.  

Players get hurt, no avoiding that**. But that is another post, a very sad post, coming up.

**Injuries in any sport are inevitable, but in any style football they are frequent and some serious. Whether it is devastating or one that allows a player to continue, every fan has watched a player being taken off the field.Over the years in American football, head injuries had resulted in brain damage.  This is also the case in FootBall/soccer and especially Rugby.
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