Previously, on the World Cup: What you've missed i...
Key takeaways
- A pause this long makes remembering specifics challenging: Who even was that surprising dark horse semifinalist in Qatar?
- Anyway, the bottom line is this: Many people who don't regularly follow soccer are excited about the 2026 World Cup.
- Messi (Argentina) is 38 and has been playing for Inter Miami CF in MLS.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
A pause this long makes remembering specifics challenging: Who even was that surprising dark horse semifinalist in Qatar? (Morocco!) Which team stunned both Germany and Spain? (Japan!) Why did the FIFA president make that speech where he said that he knows what it's like to be gay in a country where homosexuality is banned because he was once bullied for having a lot of freckles?
Anyway, the bottom line is this: Many people who don't regularly follow soccer are excited about the 2026 World Cup. But many of those same people are also feeling a bit uncertain because the last episode of international soccer they watched was either the one where the United States men's national team got humbled by the Netherlands or maybe the one where Lionel Messi ended up wearing a traditional black Arab cloak. If this is you, no problem. Let's get up to speed.
Messi (Argentina) is 38 and has been playing for Inter Miami CF in MLS. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) is 41 and has been playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. By soccer standards, both are very, very old GOATs.