I have to admit, I wasn’t motivated AT ALL for the FIFA World Cup, UNTIL the starting whistle and the ball rolling on the field during that first opening game. I’ve been watching all the world cups religiously for about a couple of decades, and almost as long watching professional league football from various countries. There’s no hiding it, I’m a fan.

Beyond all the Qatar controversies (which I won’t get into them, because we know them and they cannot be denied), what genuinely bothered me at first was that they changed the World Cup from summer to late-fall. I do understand the reasons, temperatures and preparation-construction time onsite, bur of course, money talks, nothing new under the sun.

On this side of the world, games start from 6am to 2pm; a perfect schedule, basically.

I get up earlier than usual, and before even brushing my teeth, the first thing I do is turn on the TV and put on the morning game. Breakfast, coffee, work… I live my normal routine life like any other day, with the game always streaming in the back (if I’m not glued to the screen already watching it). If I have to go out, I watch it on my cell phone while I’m doing other stuff. If I can’t watch it, I put on my AirPods on and listen to it live.

I tell you, it’s Christmas every day. There is no better time in the world for a soccer fan than the World Cup. And we still have the whole tournament to go!!!