With 32 different countries from all over the world coming together every four years, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA)World Cup is the biggest and most watched sports event in human history. 

From Nov. 20 to Dec. 18, the eyes of the world are firmly glued to their TV screens, rooting for their nations in the soccer tournament. With the diverse population of Bonita Vista High (BVH), many students are represented in the FIFA World Cup by their home countries, a very exciting and proud time for them.

“My students are wearing their jerseys. I have a lot of my students wearing their Mexican jerseys, I have my French jersey today, I have an England jersey too. It’s just exciting and fun to talk soccer and have one sport in common with so many students,” French International Baccalaureate (IB), French Advanced Placement (AP), French 5/6 and Spanish 3/4 teacher Patrick Beaulieu said.

The FIFA World Cup acts as a uniting event as people from different countries share their love for football which continues into the classroom. When entering Beauliau’s classroom, the excitement for the FIFA World Cup is clear. 

“I think the FIFA World Cup shows a lot of nationality and pride. You can see everyone regardless of who their favorite player is, who their usual team is or who they usually root for. Everybody I know will always root for their home country,” senior Esther Turquiekamaji said.

A lot of the allegiances for the FIFA World Cup are rooted in the heritage of students who come from all over the world. A lot of countries outside the United States have a very rich history of football and that passion extends to the FIFA World Cup. 

“I think the love for the FIFA World Cup comes from the heritage that parents pass down to their children. If you have first generation Mexican parents and their children are here, they pass down the love for the Mexican national team to their children and they just continue the tradition going,” Beaulieu said. 

The tournament brings out a wide range of emotions from joy to utter disappointment for the fans. While some may be cynical at their chances for winning, everyone supports them regardless and hopes for a nice surprise at the FIFA World Cup.

“I’m German by nationality so obviously I support the German team. I’m not very confident in their abilities but I’m still going to be supporting them regardless,” senior Nolan Kummerle said.

The World Cup fills countries all over the world with the possibility of great pride and honor if they win the world cup. This tournament is one of the most prestigious international competitions in the world with only a few countries qualifying each year to have a chance to compete with the best in the world. 

“It’s a global competition, it brings people from all countries that qualify together. After playing countries in their region, 32 countries compete in a tournament over the span of a month. The world cup is something very special overall,” Kummerle said. 

The FIFA World Cup is an unfathomably intense experience and so is the culture around football as a whole. The stadiums themselves are always packed and filled with passionate fans that highlight the profound value they have in their culture. The sport of Europe is football, and to them football is practically a religion.

“Imagine all basketball, American football and baseball fans packed and crammed into one stadium. That’s like soccer, and football for us in Europe. It’s a huge hype,” Kummerle said. 

The rivalries at the FIFA World Cup are immense. With the tournament only coming around every four years the stakes are precarious. The sting of defeat befalls many countries around the world and it can lead to some strong feelings about the opposing team and players. 

“I [vulgarity] hate Argentina, they can go to hell. They beat Mexico and I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit hopeful. I was like ‘we got this we’re gonna win,’ pero se pasaron! I admire their team and their players, but I still hate them,” Turquiekamaji said. 

Regardless, the world is united by football during this time. The World Cup game transcends barriers and languages and is something anyone can enjoy.  It is an event filled with memories of triumph and joy for those that follow the tournament. 

“I remember when El Chucky Lozano scored that goal against Germany. We were huge underdogs and we won that game,” Turquiekamaji said. “Then the song when the Netherlands took us out of the world cup ‘Pinches Holandeses nos sacaron del mundial.’ I love the world cup.”