Every four years, the world’s most popular sporting event returns.  The World Cup is an international soccer tournament between countries from around the world.  This year, the tournament will be hosted in the country of Qatar.  It is the first time that a Middle Eastern country has hosted the World Cup, and seven new stadiums were built to host the matches. 

 This decision has sparked controversy amongst the international soccer community, after a report revealed that more than 6500 South Asian migrant workers may have died building the stadiums.  Many soccer fans also see Qatar as unfit to host the World Cup, since the hot climate of the desert country has caused the event to be moved from the summer to the winter.  

The United States is one of the 32 teams that will be making the trip to Qatar this year, after they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.  

Sophomore Yusuf Aliyev plays soccer for RCHS, and is excited to watch the games.  “I’m looking forward to watching the USA, especially when we play against England,” said Aliyev.  

Fellow sophomore John Brooke enjoys the sense of community that the World Cup creates.

  “It really brings the world together, to watch all the soccer games,” said Brooke. “I’m excited to see the US hopefully not lose in the first stage. I’m cheering for the US, but I think that Argentina will [win].”  This is likely the last World Cup for Lionel Messi, the Argentinian player that many consider to be the greatest soccer player of all time.  

No matter the outcome, billions of soccer fans will be cheering on their favorite teams and players less than a month from now when they play in Qatar.