How the Fifa world cup got me invested in soccer:

 How the FIFA World Cup got me invested in soccer:

By Michael Ugwueke

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in the books, and it was an amazing tournament filled with chaos, excitement, and tense moments from Argentina's come-from-behind wins against England and Egypt, the unexpected rise of Cape Verde, and the exciting finals between Spain and Argentina that ended with Spain winning their second World Cup. We also saw the final World Cup for Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, and possibly the farewell of Messi, but the biggest bullet point for me is that we also had record attendance and viewership, with the final alone watched by 66 million viewers here in the States.

But for me, this was the moment I finally got invested in soccer. And I have to thank my uncle for that. You see, for years prior, I had played soccer but didn't watch it or play video games. But then, while I was watching the NBA finals with my uncle, who was from Nigeria and visiting us for a while, he told me I should watch soccer. I said I had a little, but not much. He said I should because soccer is the biggest sport in the world, and that I was missing out, and I could enjoy it. I decided what do i have to lose. So I did watch the entire World Cup, and it was a life-changing experience. I loved the excitement, action, and intensity.  But what complexity drew me in was the sheer unpredictability. It wasn’t just the traditional powerhouses like England, France, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and others, and stars like Neymar, Ronaldo, Messi, Pulisic, etc. It was also about the stories that touched every corner. Like the rise of teams like Cape Verde. I'll admit, I thought soccer was slow and boring, not as exciting as football or basketball, but the tournament made me realize it's also a game of high-stakes chess played at lightning speed. I enjoyed Argentina's knockout run. Argentina fell behind by two goals. I thought they were dead in the water, but watching Lionel Messi orchestrate a late comeback before Enzo Fernández buried a dramatic stoppage-time header completely blew my mind. Then they did it again in the semifinals against England, weathering an early English goal and exploiting Thomas Tuchel’s ultra-defensive tactics to storm back and win 2-1.

The beauty of the World Cup is that the giants don't always have it easy, and the tournament's underdog stories are unmatched in American sports. I was 100% locked in on Cape Verde—a tiny island nation of just over 500,000 people. They shocked the globe by drawing 0-0 with eventual champions Spain in the group stage and advanced all the way to the Round of 32. When they faced Argentina, they took the defending champions to the limit. Even after Messi scored first, Cape Verde fought back to tie it 1-1 in regular time and forced the defending champions into an absolute dogfight in extra time before finally falling 3-2. Against England, they fell behind, but as always, Argentina found a way. Thanks to late goals by Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez, with both assists by Messi, Argentina made a comeback to win 2-1.

Everything culminated in an unforgettable final at New York-New Jersey Stadium (AKA MetLife Stadium. It was a tactical masterpiece that kept me on the edge of my seat for 120 minutes. Even when the score was locked at 0-0, the tension was suffocating. When Argentina’s Enzo Fernández picked up a red card late in regulation, the dynamic shifted entirely. In extra time, Spain’s Nico Williams kept a direct ball alive to feed Ferran Torres, who hammered home the game-winner to secure the trophy for La Roja.

But the drama didn't stop at the final whistle. The absolute chaos that erupted post-match—with Argentina’s Leandro Paredes shoving Eric García to the ground and sparking a massive team brawl—showed me just how much this game means to these players. The raw emotion, the global stakes, and the fierce pride completely won me over. I went into this tournament as a casual observer who knew the sport but not much, and I came out a newly minted soccer fan. I plan to watch a lot more soccer, especially the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, and MLS. I might soon write some articles and do some podcasts on it. And I have to thank my uncle for getting me hooked. Without him, I wouldn't be talking about this today. Uncle, if you're reading this, you are the real MVP