The greatest show on earth. The biggest sporting event. Some people might argue with those statements. But no football fan will.
The world cup starts in two days. Once every four years, the best teams in the world get together to put on a show. It’s always full of drama and excitement. It’s where legends are made and legacies are created. This year won’t be any different. But it is a bit different for me personally.
I think I talked about this a bit in another blog. But I do miss the world cup vibe back in Bangladesh. I missed it during the 2018 world cup and I miss it again now. In 2018 I was a student. I was busier with life. I was busy going through classes and my part-time job. This year I am working a full-time job. I am in a more comfortable stage in life. I do have the time to stop and appreciate the games.
But I won’t get the atmosphere that I got back home. I remember during 2002, 2006 and 2010 world cups. We used to see all the marketing campaigns. We used to get those booklets that had the fixtures of the world cup. My dad used to bring one every world cup. We used to fill it up as every game finished. Now we have our apps to easily keep track of things. But back then it was all pen and paper.
I also miss the flags around the city. The conversations are everywhere. Whether it was in the classroom at school or on the field with friends. It was all about the world cup. Staying up late to watch all the games. Then the next day discussing about the games. The arguments and the banter. The whole month was all about the world cup.
It is not the same now. Living abroad has its perks but not at moments like these. I can feel a bit of the atmosphere going online on Facebook. Posting updates myself and commenting on others. But it is not the same. Maybe in 2026 I will have the chance to experience a new kind of atmosphere.