The 5 Things You Need To Know About The World Cup
Nearly half of the world’s population watched the last World Cup, which happens every four years. Therefore, the topic of soccer is going to be unavoidable for the next month.
Nearly half of the world’s population watched the last World Cup, which happens every four years. Therefore, the topic of soccer is going to be unavoidable for the next month.
If you can’t beat 'em, join 'em,
The Last Night’s Game Team
The Five Things You Need To Know About The World Cup
1. Starting tomorrow and for the next month, the world’s eyes will be on Russia as they host the best 32 teams in the world in their fight for the global title. Not in the battle? A team from Italy and the U.S. It has been 60 years since the Italians failed to qualify for the World Cup and 32 years for the Americans. BUT WHY?
2. FOX paid over $400 million for the broadcasting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup. Despite shelling out that cash, 8 of the 12 broadcasters will be calling games from a studio in Los Angeles, not live from Russia. Guess they forgot to include funds for a travel budget? On the bright side, Aly Wagner will become the first woman to call a men’s World Cup soccer game. KUDOS ALY
3. With the United States out of the tournament, who should you cheer for? How about Team Iceland? They’re the smallest country to ever qualify for the men’s World Cup (population 330,000), it’s their first time ever playing in a World Cup AND their coach was a dentist up until two years ago, so give it up for the underdog. (Not to be confused with the under bite – obligatory dentist joke). WHO TO ROOT FOR
4. Three of the best soccer players in the world also happen to be three of the highest paid athletes on earth, but what’s the one thing they all have in common besides big bank accounts? No World Cup trophy. You can catch Lionel Messi (Team Argentina - #2 in the world in getting paid), Cristano Ronaldo (Team Portugal - #3) and Neymar (Team Brazil - #5) as they fight for the one thing they can’t buy. LAST CHANCE
5. The host team automatically qualifies for the tournament so Russia is in. What’s also in right now in Russia? Smiling. Apparently workers who will interact with the influx of tourist (ex. train workers) have been learning how to smile in hopes of dispelling the stigma that Russians aren’t friendly. SAY CHEESE
Bonus: Announced this morning – a joint bid by Canada, Mexico and the United States to host the 2026 World Cup has been successful. Canada and Mexico will host 10 of the games and the U.S. will host 60. MORE
Let’s talk about today
Living life in the present? Here’s what everyone is bantering about over their bacon this morning including an epic championship day, a scholarship surprise and they spent how much on booze in the past week? READ
Rosé All Day
You only have one chance at a first impression, so this weekend put your sports know how to work to leave a lasting one.
You only have one chance at a first impression, so this weekend put your sports know how to work to leave a lasting one.
We’ll raise our glass to that,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NHL (National Hockey League)
When the unthinkable happens. The Washington Capitals are NHL Champions. The team, which capitalized on a 3-1 lead in the series against the Vegas Golden Knights, hoisted the Stanley Cup last night for the first time in franchise history. The playoff MVP and one of hockey’s best Alex Ovechkin, helped break the 44-year curse for the Washington, D.C. franchise. MAKING HISTORY
Overtime
Things are looking rosy for the nation’s capital. Not only did the city win its first Stanley Cup but now the Washington Nationals (MLB – Major League Baseball) are celebrating tomorrow’s National Rosé Day in a big way. They’ll be serving frosé (of course) at a pop-up rosé garden. Fans can also buy tickets in the special “Rosé All Gameday” section and receive a can of rosé with their ticket purchase. CHEERS TO THAT
Sideline stat
In case you needed another reason to don a big hat and drink rosé tomorrow, Justify will take the track at the Belmont Stakes hoping to become the lucky 13th winner of the rarest feat in sports, the Triple Crown. He would be only the second horse to win the Triple Crown in 40 years. (American Pharaoh won in 2015). GO PONIES GO!
Coaches’ corner
Golden State Warriors fans are about to go loco and it’s not only because their team is one win away from winning another NBA (National Basketball Association) championship. Thanks to the Warriors win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road earlier this week, everyone in America will get free Doritos Locos Tacos from Taco Bell on June 13th. That being said, the two teams play tonight in a do or die situation for King James and his Cavs. HITTING THE HARDWOOD
What to watch
Last year’s U.S. Open Champion, American Sloane Stephens, is eying a win at yet another grand slam tournament, the French Open. She will take on #1 world ranked Simona Halep tomorrow for the French Open title. (The men's final will take place on Sunday with the semifinals being played today. Follow us on Twitter to find out the final round matchup). HOW TO WATCH
The Breakfast Of Champions
Small talk doesn’t have to be painful, even on a Monday.
Small talk doesn’t have to be painful, even on a Monday.
Sports (and coffee) are always the right answer,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Tennis
When things don't go as planned. In a much anticipated showdown of two former #1 players in the world, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams were supposed to meet this morning on the clay courts of the French Open. Just before the match was about to start, Williams withdrew from the tournament with an arm injury. This was Williams’ first grand slam tournament appearance since giving birth to daughter Olympia. GUNS BLAZIN'
Overtime
In auto racing, the job of the pace car is to keep the drivers at a reasonable speed before the race and during any incidents on the track. This weekend, the pace car in an IndyCar race became the incident, crashing on the track and delaying the start of the race. As if that wasn't bad enough, it was a $123,000 Corvette driven by a General Motors Vice President. YOU HAD ONE JOB
Sideline stat
Steph Curry had a record-setting night last night in the NBA (National Basketball Association) finals, with nine three-pointers. Curry and his Golden State Warriors have continued to rule the Cleveland Cavaliers, going up 2-0 in the best-of-seven series. Luckily for the Cavs, they will return home for game three where they can sleep in their own beds and hopefully pull off a win. TELL ME MORE
Coaches’ corner
Good guys alert. Their coaches taught them to “play selfless football and not selfish.” That’s what the Boise Black Knights youth football team told Good Morning America about their decision to stop and help accident victims on their drive home from a tournament in New Mexico. The 12 – 14 year olds worked together to lift an overturned car to safely rescue the trapped passengers. EATING THEIR WHEATIES
What to watch
The Washington Capitals (NHL – National Hockey League) attempted to match the celebrity filled pregame show of the Vegas Golden Knights but fell flat on Saturday with player intros from Wheel of Fortune’s Pat Sajak. (One tweet described it as your school principal trying to be cool, but failing miserably).
Luckily for the Caps, their on-ice performance was superior, taking a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup finals. The teams will play again tonight in D.C. Let’s just hope they have something better up their pregame sleeve that doesn’t involve buying a vowel. A-E-I-O-U FAIL