Why the World Cup Still Matters

It could be coming home! I wish that were true, but after 60 years of my lifetime since England won the World Cup in 1966, it’s an unlikely event when you consider last year’s champion’s Argentina and the runners up France are still two matches to win in order to make that a reality.

Imagine Harry Kane heading along the aisle to collect his winning medal whilst holding the golden world cup. Thing is if it was real gold, it would weigh 80 kg and that might be too much for the hurricane to lift up above his head.

Actually, the World Cup trophy is not completely solid gold. It is made of 18-karat (75%) gold, but it is hollow inside. The iconic trophy stands 36.8 cm (14.5 inches) tall and weighs exactly 6.175 kg. This weight includes about 5 kilograms of pure gold, while its base also features two striking rings made of malachite, a semi-precious green stone.

It’s an exciting time to watch the world cup which began with more teams. The FIFA World Cup expanded from 32 to 48 teams to increase global inclusion, allowing more nations from Africa, Asia, and North America to participate. Financially, the expansion creates significantly more matches, generating greater revenue through broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales.

This year's World Cup has been incredibly thrilling due to a historic surge in attacking football, dramatic late-game comebacks, and the high stakes of an expanded 48-nation format. In fact, the tournament features an exceptionally high goals-per-game average, the highest recorded in over five decades.

My heart goes out to England in the hope that it can restore some of its former glory, for amidst the turmoil of political division, economic uncertainty and a rapidly changing world, football offers something rare: a moment when history, hope and national pride can once again march hand in hand.

Stand strong!

Prof. Carl Boniface

Vocabulary builder:

aisle – the passage between rows of seats (corredor entre fileiras)

hollow – empty inside (oco)

surge – a sudden, strong increase (aumento repentino)

turmoil – a state of confusion or uncertainty (turbulência, agitação)

amidst – in the middle of; surrounded by (em meio a)

Using the words select the right one to fil in the speces:

1. The stadium erupted after a late goal, and a ________ of excitement swept through the crowd.

2. The captain remained calm ________ the pressure of a penalty shootout and scored the winning goal.

3. The fans walked down the ________ of the team bus, hoping to catch a glimpse of their football heroes.

4. After the manager resigned, the club was thrown into ________, with players and supporters unsure about the future.

5. Although the World Cup trophy looks solid, it is actually ________ inside, making it much lighter than most people imagine.