The World Cup has this supernatural power over soccer fans. It fills a void we didn’t even know we had, but now that the tournament is over, this missing piece in our lives is impossible to ignore.
For the past month, we have been treated to endless soccer of the highest caliber. Like babies being fed, we haven’t needed to think about what our next game was going to be. It was always there, waiting for us, and it never disappointed.
So now what? What are we supposed to do without international soccer? Where will we find the sustenance in life necessary to get through our menial existence without the beautiful game? Thankfully, we have you covered.
Things to do now that the World Cup is over
Go For A Walk
Be honest, when was the last time you went outside since the tournament kicked off? October? Early November? No matter. Take the week without soccer and go enjoy the fresh air.
Go close your rings while you reminisce about Tim Weah’s goal against Wales or Christian Pulisic’s winning goal against Iran. If you want a fun challenge, try walking the same distance as Lionel Messi did throughout the World Cup. According to The Athletic, the golden ball winner walked just over three miles per game in Qatar.
So go for a three-mile walk every day for a week, and over the holidays you’ll be able to tell your friends and family that you have something in common with Messi.
Meditate
This year’s tournament was filled with heart-stopping moments, like South Korea’s late win over Portugal or Wout Weghorst’s 101st-minute equalizer against Argentina. So to make up for your elevated stress during the tournament, take a short meditation break and clear your head.
Relax and enjoy the peace that comes with nothingness. There are no more games to be played, no more records to be broken and no more goals to be scored. Nothing but tranquility as we sit and wait for another 1,266 days.
On second thought, maybe I have no idea how to meditate, this seems to only be making the problem worse.
Go Christmas Shopping
With the holidays within touching distance, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve put off your shopping until after the World Cup and now you are in full-blown panic mode.
This is why the world cup is the best sporting event lmaooo everyone in costco was watching pic.twitter.com/JpTbkFSics
— Marco ⚽️ (@Marc_Oniss) June 17, 2018
Go visit a mall and let capitalism consume you as your brain crumbles without international soccer to keep you going. Who knows, maybe they’ll be showing the highlights on the display TVs at Costco or Walmart, right?
It’s worth a shot and besides, you really need to go do it because you’re running out of time. Consider this less of a suggestion and more of a much-needed reminder.
Rejoin Society
The World Cup is hibernation season for soccer fans. We stay cooped up in our homes, apartments and dorms, glued to our screens, only venturing into the wilderness for the most essential of reasons, like when the United States played England.
Live look at fans waking up and realizing there's no more 2022 FIFA World Cup games to watch: pic.twitter.com/T2pUAie6eD
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 19, 2022
However, now that the tournament is over, we can resume our old activities, whatever the hell those were. I vaguely remember going to bars, getting dinner with friends or going to the movies, but I could be totally wrong, those memories feel like a lifetime ago. Still, it couldn’t hurt to try.
Let’s just hope your friends and family have not completely given up on you because you woke up at 4 a.m. to watch Cameroon vs. Switzerland or Tunisia vs. Australia and haven’t seen them in a month.
Work During The Week
Listen, this one isn’t on you. It’s not your fault that FIFA moved the World Cup to the winter and held the tournament in Qatar so games are being played throughout the day. Blame FIFA, because seriously, what are you gonna do? Not watch the World Cup? Come on, like you have a choice.
No more World Cup and back to work lolpic.twitter.com/RqK8rTKnqU
— Pinero_Nana (@Pinero_Nana) December 19, 2022
It would probably be a good idea to get back to work though. Literally, everyone has noticed you watching the games on your phone and they know you are pretending to smoke just so you can watch the game in peace for a bit.
Well now that the tournament is over, it’s time to get back to work so that you still have a job in 2026 when the tournament is right here in North America. It’s OK because soccer is back to the weekends for a while and European competition doesn't start until February so you have plenty of time to fix your reputation.
Get Creative And Watch Other Soccer Games
While most leagues do not begin until after the new year, there's no shortage of soccer games happening. You just need to know where to look.
Seven hat tricks, 110 goals last week, and six games with more than 10 goals - but these are our favorites. @Cuentas_us pic.twitter.com/StRHjyufkK
— MASL (@MASLarena) December 13, 2022
In the United States, the Major Arena Soccer League is in full swing with games being played in many cities from San Diego to Baltimore and from Dallas to Milwaukee. Every game is broadcast for free on Twitch, so even if you can’t make it to an arena in your area, you can still watch in the comfort of your own home. It’s a fun, exciting sport and you’ll be impressed with the quality on display.
The Premier League begins in earnest on the day after Christmas. But if you can’t wait that long, the Carabao Cup and the Copa Del Rey have you covered. There are also Women’s Champions League matches this week including some great matchups such as Chelsea vs. PSG and Juventus vs. Lyon.
