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So, once more, the World Cup is about to grace our TV screens – in our living rooms, our pubs, basically everywhere. World Cup fever is unavoidable, impossible to escape, and normally my worst nightmare. I loathe football. It is the world’s most boring sport, it is 90 minutes of my life I will never get back, and I have zero interest in a sport where the score after an hour and a half can STILL BE ZERO. Well, this is going to be a fun month for me…
Acknowledging how un-fun this is going to be has made me re-think my attitude, because I don’t want to be a miserable person for the duration of everyone else’s festivities. How can someone who hates football do a complete 180 and learn to like it? I organised a sweepstake.
I heartily encourage you all to organise a sweepstake as soon as you read this. Do it now. Between my group of friends, we have all been randomly allocated three teams, paying 50 pence per team and therefore a prize of nearly £20, which is better than a kick in the teeth, that’s for sure. I drew a very great batch of teams: Columbia (not so hot), Greece (also, apparently, not so hot) and…BRAZIL. According to everyone I’ve spoken to, Brazil are pretty much going to win. So, quids in all round.
Not only do I have a financial incentive to now watch the world cup, but it has given me three teams to support, which is making me more inclined to watch the matches. I’m hosting the opening match on Thursday 12th, mainly because Brazil are playing, and am very exciting to have a living room filled with my nearest and dearest, getting into the spirit together.
Yes, I’m likely to talk all over the match. Yes, I’m probably not going to understand any of it. And yes, if I was watching it by myself, I would be very bored by it and likely to switch channels to Gavin and Stacey re-runs on BBC3. But I won’t be alone, I’ll have a gin and tonic in hand, maybe some Brazil face paint on, and this is how I am combatting the nation’s love for, and my hatred of, football.
By Jessica Moffatt-Owen
