Expanded World Cup a Blessing for the Hopeless Football Romantic

With more participating teams, an incredible number of additional matches have been added. This year, over a hundred games will be played at the World Cup across five weeks. Never before have football fans been inundated with so many matches. This also leads to fixtures that, at first glance, seem completely unappealing. However, fans of the underdog are finding plenty to cheer about at this World Cup.

Despite some matches featuring a remarkably low standard of play, there's an abundance of drama and spectacle. Nations that arrived at the World Cup as debutants, with no expectations, are currently delivering the biggest upsets of the tournament.

Take the Cape Verde goalkeeper, who kept a clean sheet against Spain and subsequently gained ten million followers, or Eloy Room, who experienced a similar surge after keeping Curaçao in the game against Ecuador. These are the stories emerging from matches that, in terms of quality, might be dramatic, but will ultimately hold historical significance. King Willem-Alexander won't be busting out dance moves after a Curaçao international match anytime soon.

The fact that the Netherlands has been celebrating for two days straight – first an 'Oranje' party, then a 'blue' party – speaks volumes. Debutant Curaçao went into the World Cup with no expectations, yet they celebrated their single point as if the island had won the entire tournament. The same goes for Cape Verde, who, after two draws, can now dream of advancing to the next round.

So, amidst the ugliness of some of the play, football enthusiasts can still find plenty of beautiful narratives. There's enough to get excited about, even if the football itself isn't always pretty. You have to hope for standout performances from the outsiders, the 'birds of paradise' of football. Top-tier football will return eventually. The group stage is the time for the anti-heroes. The standard of play will significantly improve from the round of sixteen onwards.

Until then, enjoy the heroic tales emerging from this expanded World Cup. Because Curaçao's story will forever be etched in history books, just as the Instagram phenomenon surrounding Cape Verde's goalkeeper will enter our collective memory and likely become a question in a football quiz. The World Cup has truly become more enjoyable, as long as you focus on the right stories.

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