Football fans react as they watched a live broadcast of the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final match between France and Spain, won 2-0 by Spain, during a public viewing in Ternate, North Maluku.
I HAVE always loved the Soccer World Cup. I still do. All other sporting events, like the Olympics, pale in comparison.
It was the World Cup of USA 1994 and dim recollections of Italia 90 with the awe-inspiring commentary of the late Brian Moore, Peter Brackley, and Barrie Davies that made me fall in love with the game of football.
The aesthetic of the grass and stadium, together with the traditional signboards on the pitch of Coca-Cola, Adidas, Gillette, and back in the day, JVC video, and Camel on the billboards, made you realise you are watching a World Cup.
There was always something special as a school boy during the winter holidays, staying up to watch the games. No phones, no quick-fix TikTok highlights, but old, bulky box television sets in the lounge. The older World Cups, looking back at highlights packages of Mexico 86 and Spain 82 games, absolutely feel different to watch.
