The Challenge Is Doing Your Best and Having Lots of Fun

Do you know where Curaçao is? This Caribbean Island was the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup. It has 185,440 inhabitants as of June 2026 (World Population Review 8/06/26) and an annual government budget of about US$1.1–1.7 billion, which is about six to seven times less than Real Madrid, a Spanish football club valued by Forbes at US$9.5 billion in 2026 (Curacaochronicle.com, Forbes.com, lequipe.fr).

Another World Cup 2026 underdog is Cape Verde, which has made history by becoming the smallest nation (population of half a million) to reach the knockout stage.

I love underdogs and cheer for them.

The World Cup opening ceremonies in Canada, Mexico, and the US were awesome. There was lively entertainment, and the atmosphere inside and outside the stadiums was festive. I enjoyed watching the matches, as well as the singing of national anthems and the displaying of flags of all competing nations.

You might have seen on social media how the Scottish “Tartan Army” made a big impression with their bagpipes, cheerful singing, and marching in the US streets. Norwegian fans were tantalising with their mass Viking row performance in Boston and New York (I even saw on YouTube Members of the Norwegian Parliament performing the Viking Row inside the parliamentary chamber, supporting their team). As usual, Japanese fans did their traditional cleaning of the stadiums after the games. This is football/soccer World Cup!

How I wish every sports game were just pure joy, singing, and laughter.

On June 8, we went to Lille to watch the friendly game between Northern Ireland and France, part of the latter’s World Cup preparation. Both teams played well: the Northern Irish players performed brilliantly against one of the world’s most financially valuable teams.

There was electrifying cheering and drum beating from the French fans. The French flag covered the entire field while there was no Northern Irish flag on display. All of the French players, including the substitutes, had large banners featuring their photos carried onto the field individually to the cheers of a crowd of around 50,000. The Northern Ireland players appeared ghostly.

Every time France scored, the scorer’s photo was displayed on the two giant screens, and the announcer encouraged the crowd to chant the player’s surname. No such recognition was given when Northern Ireland scored.

The Northern Ireland team should have been treated with the same respect and made to feel welcome. Sport is at its best when it promotes fairness, respect, and exemplary conduct, regardless of the result. If those values are absent, I don’t enjoy it.

“The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart”. – Robert Ingersoll (American politician and orator,1833-1899).