IT IS ALL ABOUT THE WORLD CUP

The world cup starts Friday! In Guatemala it is all about the World Cup: who are you going for, were are you watching the games, who is playing, who is not, etc. Productivity goes down but the numbers of TV`s sold go way up, as I am sure the consumption of beer, chips, sodas, chicharrones (pork rinds), etc.

Last world cup (2006) generated a worldwide audience of 26.29 billion for the whole month sporting event and 715.1 million viewers of the final game (Superbowl 2010 115 million).

Guatemala is not going, and hasn't ever gone to the Mundial, which makes it really easy for me to then go full heartedly for the US! I do have to say I am not in a big group, the US is not a classic team, almost everyone in Guatemala goes for Brasil or Argentina.

On the other hand everyone does agree that the US has everything but one thing to become a soccer power, that is passion! Tom agrees, his comment is "Americans are interested in soccer not passionate about it"

For Guatemalans the first part of the World Cup is summarized into two main things that need to happen. We want to see our favorite team or teams advance, that is half the fun and the other half is to see Mexico eliminated (I had no remorse on this until I made Mexican friends while living in the US - sorry!-).

Any case I am proudly showing my US colors with a sticker on car. First game for the US is Saturday at 2.30pm MT against England. See you there!

The picture is the sticker I put on my car and says I am going for the USA (EEUU= Estados Unidos you double the initial to because it is plural) with Prensa Libre (that is PR for the local Newspaper)