Joga Bonito

Like many people around the world, I've caught a couple of soccer games over the past week or so, and despite a lack of interest in most sport on TV, I've enjoyed the ride. The World Cup is a massive international event, and it's great to see world class teams competing with mutual respect both for the game, and each other (clearly not referring to France here).

Sadly though I have also been subjected to hearing the occasional disparaging comment from Americans many of whom have commented that soccer is lame, it sucks, it's a wimpy game (seriously, I saw that on Facebook, someone claiming soccer proved European men were not as 'manly' as Americans). I've heard Americans trying to persuade others that the World Cup should be ignored, or otherwise dismissed as unimportant.

I have to say, I find these attitudes pathetic. On the one hand America meddles in the affairs of dozens of countries around the world, maintains a military presence in 150+ countries, yet many seem to believe that when it comes to internationally important events like the World Cup, we should turn our collective noses at the notion of an international competition, and go back to playing games we made up, or games only we play, and then claim to be world champions at.

Now I know that not all Americans feel this way, and that many indeed are very interested by the World Cup, for those that aren't, I have a message for you: Get your head out of your ass, and open your mind to the other six billion people that share our planet. Stop being so fucking insular all the time, and labeling foreign things as 'lame.' If America ever wants to live peacefully in the world, and not constantly live in fear of terrorist attacks, one positive step it could take is at least pretend to give a shit about others.

The World Cup is not just about soccer, it's about nations coming together in healthy competition. So stop whining, take a look at it, accept it for what it is. Soon it will all be over for another four years, and you can go back to playing football with your hands.