Thoughts on the World Cup

Every 4 years I do something very out of character and I have a feeling I'm not the only one, that a lot of other women experience this aswell... watch and take an interest in the Fifa World Cup! Having recently came to an end and with the thrill still in my mind (although I'm sure when the normal season starts up, I'll look back on this phase as a sport blip, unable to understand how it occured and how to get it back), I thought now would be a good time to reflect on this phenomenon and even some of my highlights of the past month of football.

Large sporting events are a common occurrence on British television but the thrill and hype around the World Cup still gets me! Even the old woman who you get the bus with every morning seems to know what is going on with Suarez, and she wants to talk to you about it! Its like for a brief period everyone is interested and spending their time in exactly the same way that you are. The World Cup is not just about a certain type of man talking with another man in a manly place about sport, it is inclusive and football chat for this limited period happens between everyone.

This inclusive atmosphere seems to take away some of the negativity that a football outsider normally sees- the aggression and arrogance. It is replaced with people supporting countries they have never been to and fans praising opponents for "a good pass" or "some excellent defense". As a Scot, supporting a foreign team is not something new (often we have no other choice) but the footage of Brazilian fans recognising German skill shows that even in devastating defeat fans are able to give praise.

From papers, online and television I have been told that this World Cup in Brazil is one of the best ever- loads of goals, loads of twists, absolutely gripping, loads of big stars. As an irregular football fan I wouldn't be able to make such a bold claim, although I did witness each of these things and I did enjoy them! I even learnt the names of some of the players, got frustrated at poor defending, slagged the ref, cheered the goalie, placed a bet and covered my eyes at Brazil's 7-1 defeat.

But the thing that that will stick with me, that drew me in so much was the crowd, and the atmosphere. I know this is to the frustration of men the world over, but it is the people that interest me. Yes, I love seeing Van Persie's amazing header whizz into the goals, but the shots of Brazilian fans in tears and German supporters rejoicing, as well as my own enthusiasm at spending 90 minutes with my boyfriend engrossed in a match, that made the World Cup at event for me.

What are your memories of the 2014 World Cup?