by Cy Bernardi
In 2018, 1.12 billion people held their breath as Croatia went head to head with France in the final match of the FIFA World Cup. A 4-2 French victory marked the conclusion of the tournament for the next four years. The World Cup is held at four-year intervals, with countries from all across the globe competing against one another to bring glory to their nations. Now, it’s time to turn on the TV and get watching once again! The 2022 World Cup is being hosted by Qatar and is looking to be one of the most exciting tournaments in soccer history. As exhilarating as this event is, this one, in particular, has a somber side to it because it’s likely the last World Cup that fan-favorite players such as Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be taking part in. However, on the other hand, the USMNT (United States Men’s National Team) is one of the strongest squads in US history with players such as Christian Pullisic, Weston McKennie, and team captain Tyler Adams. When all of these aspects are put together, the 2022 World Cup is looking to be one of the most exciting tournaments in recent history.
One of the most highly anticipated parts of the World Cup this year is watching how Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, two of the greatest players of all time, respond to the pressure of playing in what is likely their last World Cup. This is both Ronaldo’s fifth time donning the Portuguese national colors and Messi’s fifth for Argentina in a World Cup. Sadly, age gets the best of all of us, and by the time the next World Cup starts in 2026, both of them will more than likely be retired. However, both the Portuguese and Argentine National teams have full rosters of strong players and have good chances of winning the tournament. There has always been competition between these two players for the title of GOAT, or greatest of all time. If one of them manages to pull off a win this year, it could be a deciding factor in who is more worthy of the title. This is one of our last chances to see these soccer legends play against each other, adding to the overall hype of the 2022 World Cup.
It’s a well-known fact that the United States can’t compete with European Nations in soccer. However, this World Cup could be different. With a strong team captained by Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams, the US National Team has hope for doing well this year. This is one of the first times in recent memory that America can cheer on their own team with hopes of winning a World Cup.
With all of the excitement surrounding this World Cup and so many streaming options to choose from, it can be hard to decide where to watch it. The best options for paid viewing of live matches are Sling and ESPN+. If you’re looking to watch this event for free, Tubi is a free app that allows you to catch up on games after they end, but unfortunately live viewing isn’t an option. Hopefully, one of these apps will be useful so you can tune in for some World Cup action!
From the end of an era with Messi and Ronaldo finishing up their time playing for their countries to the possibility of the US National Team doing well, the 2022 World Cup is expected to be one of the most exciting in recent memory, and with so many options to choose from for streaming, it’s easier than ever to hop in and start supporting your team.
The Lighthouse 