You know when you plan a big vacation and you think about it and get ready for a long time, and then you go on that vacation, and at some point on that trip, you realize it’s about to be over. And not just the trip, but all the planning, anticipation, expense - basically that whole phase of your life that consumed so much time and energy. And when it’s over, you’ll have memories, residuals, possibly scars - basically, some kind of legacy, good, bad, and otherwise.
Such is the same for the World Cup, which is now on the cusp of its final match this Sunday between Spain and Argentina, placing two soccer fanatic nations against one another and showcasing the world’s most enduring soccer star Lionel Messi in what will be his final World Cup. It’s a very good final, even if France might have been the ideal foil for Argentina. Regardless, FIFA got what they wanted, the return champions from South America against a legacy European power. Not that it’s surprising.
The legacy of this cup will go far beyond the winner, especially here in the U.S. And here’s what I think those residuals might be. For starters, unlike things like the Olympics, there’s really little infrastructure change to the U.S. - or Canada or Mexico. Every stadium was already built, and we don’t even have a new train line or airport. That’s not a bad thing, as it also means we aren’t left with lingering debt. And perhaps it speaks to the new normal in events like the World Cup and the Olympics. It used to be a chance to change the physical complex of a nation, often at great cost.
Now it might be better to leverage countries that have the infrastructure already in place - meaning wealthy ones. Which would mean more visits to the U.S. and places like it, and fewer to those on the cusp. Second, this was the first World Cup with 48 teams, a 16-nation expansion that left some upset about competitiveness and quality of play. Leaving aside that most matches were quite good, know that regardless of what critics and purists think, this thing is never going back. Because what FIFA learned is that if you add more games, you are going to make a lot more money. In fact, it’s more likely the next Cup has 64 teams than 32. And understand this won’t be limited to soccer and the World Cup. The NCAA Basketball Tournament has gone from 68 to 76 teams, and the college football playoff is looking to go from 12 teams to as many as 28. That’s what we’ve learned. Want to make more money? Play more games.
Third, there was a lot of talk before this tournament about how politics might ruin the World Cup, or how people won’t watch or visit. Meanwhile, you can’t get a seat in the finals for under eight grand. There was a period in global history when that might not have been true, when sports boycotts were actual threats and geopolitics spilled beyond the pitch. But what this World Cup should make us all realize is that at least for the moment, money is the only political currency that matters. It’s no surprise that in the midst of this event, the IOC announced it would largely lift the ban against Russian athlete representation at the Olympics. Don’t think that this soccer tournament wasn’t a part of that calculus.
And finally, there was a whole lot of talk about American soccer during this event, as there is every time the World Cup rolls around. And every year, we get some story about how the U.S. is taking another step forward, how we’re closing the gap with the rest of the soccer world, even though we basically did exactly as expected and not particularly better than in years past. And once again, it’s Europe and South America playing for a title. This is no insult to American soccer or its players. But for every American who wants or even believes this World Cup will be the springboard to American soccer dominance, and that four years from now we’ll be at the top, I’d suggest that history - and results - suggest otherwise.
I could be wrong - about all of it, I suppose. But that’s what I think we’re left with when the vacation ends. That, and the memories of some pretty great soccer. And for the record, I hope that Spain wins.
Keith Strudler is the Dean of the College of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. You can follow him at @KeithStrudler.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
