I love the World Cup for the same reason I love the Olympics: I believe both give us a foretaste, however slight, of what awaits us at the end of days, when all the world’s nations shall gather to bring their “glory and honor” into the New Jerusalem. Of course, the World Cup, like the Olympics, is never without issue (e.g., President Trump’s involvement in the Folarin Balogun red card controversy, and FIFA’s sketchy ticketing practices). And yet, when I reflect on this year’s tournament, I can’t help but think that “the beautiful game” will, indeed, be part of that assembled glory and honor.
Looking back at this year’s tournament, here are some of the more notable moments that brought me no small amount of joy over the last few weeks.
Experiencing America
At every World Cup, there’s bound to be some culture shock as tens of thousands of fans arrive in the host nation and discover what it has to offer. Which explains why social media was filled with videos of visitors from other countries wandering, wide-eyed, through Costco and Walmart or experiencing the wonder of free refills, American portion sizes, and institutions like Buc-ees and Waffle House.
On the one hand, it’s easy to be cynical about such videos. (Are big-box stores, crass consumerism, and excessive calories really all that America has to share with the world?) On the other hand, these videos can also be a reminder—the next time I look at the wall of cereal options in my local grocery store, for instance—that many Americans really do enjoy an abundance, and to be thankful for that. And as for non-Americans glimpsing America’s natural beauty for the first time, well, who can be cynical about that?
Cross-Cultural Celebrations
American sports fans received a lesson in what it really means to support your team as kilts-clad Scots marched through Boston with their bagpipes at full volume, Spain’s fans celebrated in New York City’s streets, and the Netherlands’ Oranje Army took over Kansas City. It got even better when support and celebrations crossed borders, like the Boston cops who helped celebrate Cape Verde, the Kansans who embraced the Algerian team, or the Dutch fans who hoisted their Japanese counterpart aloft.
Occasionally, I’ll see someone post something on social media to the effect of, “If it weren’t for the politicians, we’d all get along just fine.” Such a sentiment might be a bit naïve and simplistic, but watching World Cup fans gleefully break down barriers and cross borders, I can’t help but think there might be some truth in it.
The Vikings Are Coming
Speaking of celebrations, the most iconic celebration to emerge from the 2026 World Cup was Norway’s “Viking Row,” during which the team led their fans in a stadium-shaking chant as they all pulled together. Norway was one of my favorite teams in the tournament, and this—along with Erling Haaland’s style of play and scoring prowess—exemplified the joy and style that they brought to the pitch. (It didn’t hurt that they knocked out the legendary Brazilian team during the Round of 16.) That same joy awaited them back in Norway, where thousands of fans rowed to welcome the team home.
Cape Verde’s Victory in Defeat
When FIFA announced that the 2026 World Cup would expand to include 48 teams instead of the usual 32, there was some criticism that the expansion was political in nature and would ultimately dilute and reduce the quality of the matches. But one of the beneficiaries of FIFA’s expansion was the tiny island nation of Cape Verde, located just off Africa’s West Coast, and I don’t think that anyone would ever dare accuse the Blue Sharks of diluting the World Cup.
Led by veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, Cape Verde held their own against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, surprising everyone by playing each of those teams to a draw. They then gave an all-time World Cup performance in the Round of 32 as they squared off against Argentina. The Blue Sharks went toe-to-toe against the defending champions, and even though they eventually lost in extra time, Cape Verde’s plucky, never-say-die performance endeared them to the entire world and earned them a hero’s welcome back home.
Japan Cleans Up
Heading into this year’s World Cup, there was growing buzz around Japan’s national team, with some speculating that they could go all the way to the finals. Sadly, after a solid showing in the group stage, the Samurai Blue were eliminated in the Round of 32 by Brazil. But through it all, the Japanese blessed the World Cup in a very real and tangible way, by cleaning up after themselves.
Win or lose, Japanese fans take the time to clean up the stadiums where their team plays, and you can only imagine how dirty a post-game stadium can get. What’s more, the Japanese team cleans up their changing room, as well. This has actually been a tradition since 1998, when Japan played in their very first World Cup, and ever since, they’ve been offering the world a master class in leaving a place—even a global soccer tournament—better than when you found it.
I’ll admit to feeling a bit of a void in my life now that the World Cup is over, similar to the comedown I experience after the Olympic flame is extinguished. Of course, there’s still plenty of soccer going on; the Premier League kicks off its new season in less than a month, for starters, while Apple kindly reminded me that MLS soccer is ongoing.
As exciting as those matches might be, however, it just won’t be the same now that everyone’s gone back home. The whole world coming together, with so many countries giving their best and learning to appreciate the best qualities of others, proved even more beautiful than the beautiful game itself.
