World Cup Special: Our Team Looks Back

We asked our writers around the world for their favorite World Cup memory. Below are thirteen short tales spanning thirteen different World Cup tournaments, each written in English as well as in their native language. While some of our writers desperately managed to find their way into a stadium, most watched huddled closely with family, friends, and often complete strangers. They threw on their home jerseys and chased through crowds and traffic to catch any glimpse of the game. They celebrated with beer and fried chicken and reunited with friends and family no longer with us. Their homes were crowded and their televisions were often too small. But they cheered and hugged and cried and connected with new people, new customs, and cultures new to them from all over the world.

If you want to understand what this event means to so many people worldwide, listen to a few stories from those who lived it up close, and will never forget.

I Married a Messi Fan. Then Argentina Recruited Me: Marwa Zarea reports from Cairo on how a reluctant fan fell in love with the game.

Football with My Father: Carlos Montilla reports from Barcelona on a decision he’ll never regret.

France Opens Its Arms: Claire Talarczyk reports from France on a frantic search through packed city streets.

From England to Ecuador: Matt Fleming reports from Plymouth on how it’s okay to cheer for more than one team.

Manolo and Me: Jorge Daniel Lopes reports from Lisbon on how he came face to face with a legend.

The Other Side of the Story: Carina Ávila reports from Seville on an unexpected interview with two Swedish greats.

Why I Skipped Class to Watch the World Cup: Dorothy So reports from Hong Kong on how some rules were meant to be broken.

The Summer Austria Adopted Italy: Jennifer Schleifer reports from Berlin on falling in love with Italian sport and culture.

Fried Chicken and Football: Hwan Kwon reports from Seongnam on how food and football can unite a city.

The Team We Choose: Eman Abdo reports from Cairo on how her grandfather turned absence into ritual.

Breaking the Rules for La Roja: Pablo Montero Llano reports from Madrid on the importance of wearing home colors.

Never Walk Alone: How to Navigate Chaos at a Peruvian Football Game: Friedrich Reip reports from Lima on how local knowledge can come in handy.

The Final I Almost Missed: Vagner Vargas reports from Brasília on watching the biggest game on the smallest television.