Argentina, the current champions
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior men's national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament has been held every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 due to the Second World War. The reigning champions are Argentina, who won their third title at the 2022 tournament.[1]
The contest starts with the qualification phase, which takes place over the preceding three years to determine which teams qualify for the tournament phase. In the tournament phase, 32 teams compete for the title at venues within the host nation(s) over the course of about a month. The host nation(s) automatically qualify for the group stage of the tournament. The competition is scheduled to expand to 48 teams, starting with the 2026 tournament.
As of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, 22 final tournaments have been held since the event's inception in 1930, and a total of 80 national teams have competed. The trophy has been won by eight national teams. Brazil, with five wins, are the only team to have played in every tournament. The other World Cup winners are Germany and Italy, with four titles each; Argentina, with three titles; France and inaugural winner Uruguay, each with two titles; and England and Spain, with one title each.
The World Cup is the most prestigious association football tournament in the world, as well as the most widely viewed and followed single sporting event in the world.[2][3] The viewership of the 2018 World Cup was estimated to be 3.57 billion, close to half of the global population,[4][5] while the engagement with the 2022 World Cup was estimated to be 5 billion, with about 1.5 billion people watching the final match.[6]
Seventeen countries have hosted the World Cup, most recently Qatar, who hosted the 2022 event. The 2026 tournament will be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, which will give Mexico the distinction of being the first country to host games in three World Cups.
The FIFA World Cup is the most popular and prestigious single-sport competition in the world.
It is a competition that is gaining enormous popularity and interest even in the East Asian world where I live.
However, it did not become popular only in the United States.
Perhaps my American friends, Steve, @valued-customer , and Joseph, are not interested in soccer games either.
Soccer was originally created in England and is the sport that gains the most popularity and interest around the world.
I enjoy soccer very much, too!
This is because soccer is the most common and popular sport that anyone who can run with a ball can enjoy.
By the way, Even though Americans enjoy the most diverse sports in the world, it is surprising that soccer is not popular!😦
Why aren't soccer popular among Americans?
In the world I live in, there are many assumptions about why Americans don't enjoy soccer!
Americans naturally enjoy high-scoring, fast-paced games such as basketball, baseball, and American football.
American capitalism wants sports that can attract a lot of advertising, such as baseball, basketball, and American football.
Americans consider baseball, basketball, and American football, which were created in the United States, to be the best sports in the world.
Baseball, basketball, and American football are the sports that make the most money in the United States.
Americans hate long-running sports like soccer because they own their own cars.
Americans think soccer is a sport enjoyed by women and teenagers.
Americans consider baseball, basketball, and football to be the most masculine American sports.
My compatriots proposed the above hypotheses as to why Americans do not enjoy soccer.
What do my dear spiritual brothers Steve and Joseph think of thoes claims?😃
I don’t think my respected senior @valued-customer would be interested in soccer.
I'm amazed at how Americans don't enjoy soccer like Europeans do!
Pelé with Brazil in 1970
Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈɛdsõ aˈɾɐ̃tʃiz du nasiˈmẽtu]; 23 October 1940 – 29 December 2022), better known by his nickname Pelé (Portuguese pronunciation: [peˈlɛ]), was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th century.[2][3] In 1999, he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. In 2000, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century. His 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, which includes friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record.[4]
Pelé is the first black person to become the world's most famous star through a World Cup tournament.
He became the most famous black star in the white-dominated world of sports.
His fame and presence caused surprise, respect, and envy in non-Westerners like me.
The reason why East Asians are so enthusiastic about the World Cup soccer tournament is because non-Westerners can become global stars.
So, I believe that the World Cup competition provides the most equal opportunity for all human beings in the world!
Perhaps, The only stage where Iran can win against the United States is the World Cup!
I hope my American friends are not offended by my awkward and rude English sentences!😅
Donovan playing for LA Galaxy in 2010
Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. Donovan was co-founder and vice-president of soccer operations for USL Championship side San Diego Loyal. Considered one of the greatest American players of all time, he is frequently debated with Clint Dempsey for the title.[2][3][4][5][6] Donovan holds the world record for the male with the most international assists (58) and is tied with Dempsey for the most international goals scored by an American player (57).[7]
In my world, Landon Timothy Donovan is remembered as the best player in American soccer history.
I think Landon Timothy Donovan is comparable to Pelé in American soccer history.
East Asians remember him as a very good and fast player.
When he became a player for the U.S. national soccer team, American soccer was being ignored around the world.
Most Americans didn't even know the World Cup soccer tournament existed.
So, American soccer players, including Donovan, received lower salaries and lower treatment than baseball, basketball, and American football players.
The majority of Americans wanted to be high-paid basketball, baseball, or American football players.
In this situation, Donovan did his best as a soccer player.
People around the world believed that the U.S. soccer team would not advance to the World Cup.
However, Donovan led the U.S. soccer team to the World Cup with incredible ability and enthusiasm.
Donovan received praise from people around the world because he competed against the world's best soccer teams from Germany and Brazil.
Because of Donovan's presence, the U.S. soccer team was able to compete on equal footing with the world's best teams in Germany, Brazil, and Portugal.
This is a video made by a Korean soccer fan to commemorate Donovan's outstanding performance.
I think the golden age of American soccer was when Donovan was around.
Even today, overseas soccer fans remember Donovan as the best soccer player in American history.
However, it is unfortunate that Americans do not seem to remember his achievements because soccer is currently not popular in the United States.
Pulisic with the United States in 2019
Christian Mate Pulisic (/ˈmɑːteɪ pəˈlɪsɪk, ˈpʊlɪsɪtʃ/;[7] Croatian: Pulišić,[8] pronounced [krǐstijan mǎːte pǔliʃitɕ];[9][10][11] born September 18, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Serie A club AC Milan and captains the United States national team.[12] Regarded as one of the best North American players in the world, he is nicknamed "Captain America" for his dribbling abilities, explosive speed, and finishing.[13][14][15][16][17]
I felt like Christian Mate Pulisic lacked something compared to Donovan!
I believed that the U.S. soccer team could win the World Cup only if a star surpassed Donovan emerged!
Americans have always prided themselves on being the best in the world at sports, but they seem to be relatively ignored when it comes to soccer!😄
East Asians, including myself, evaluate Donovan as an American soccer star comparable to Pele in world soccer!
So, It's a shame that Americans have forgotten Donovan's accomplishments and reputation!