Today is the day. Not only is it the first day of World Cup Brazil, but it also happens to be my husband’s birthday. I won’t take credit. Every 4 years, the stars align and a month-long series of hope filled and nerve-wracking days full of football or soccer coincide with my husband’s birthday.  It’s like every 4 years even with my complete and utter lack of birthday preparedness, I still win.

Of course, not everyone is as excited as we are. Excitement might not even be the right word for it, really. My husband confessed that he had voted SEVERAL times on the Good Morning America Poll this morning because only 46% of the voters were excited about the start of the Cup. He managed to change it to 56%. In his words, “that’s a lot of refreshing”. Yes, yes it is.  He also made his own custom bracket, complete with local times, clip art and TV coverage in Excel.  Excel, people. So, yes, we’re a little excited. And nervous. And on edge. And hopeful.

Just for the record, I haven’t always been a soccer fan.  I actually never watched, played or anything remotely close to it until my husband and I married.  I didn’t know a thing about soccer and some might say I still know very little given my very passionate and sometimes unpopular leanings in regards to players, uniforms, teams, journalists, etc.

So, even though it was only 2 years ago that I learned the proper way to throw in a ball and I still struggle to correctly identify offsides (though, in my defense some refs have a hard time with this rule, too), I’m crazy passionate about this game.

I mean where else does this happen?

And though some people believe this was not the classiest move…I totally get it.

 

Then there’s the commercials.

Yes, please.

And that’s just the beginning.  There’s the style of play.  My feet don’t even know how to move that way without a ball.  The fact that anyone can play, anywhere.  No gear, no problem.  The list goes on and on and on.  But don’t take my word for it.  Watch it for yourself.

USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!