I Like Soccer Now? — Getting Into The World Cup

Hey everyone. This is Aliyah.

I am here today with a simple vlog. I am

just going to be talking to you guys

about an experience that I had and just

just a simple video of me talking to the

camera unscripted in slow

clear comprehensible English. In this

video today, I want to talk about

getting into the World Cup. Right now,

the World Cup is happening in North

America and for the first time ever

really in my life, I have become more

interested in the World Cup. I like

soccer

or football as they call it in most of

the world. Um I've always liked the

sport. I actually wanted to play soccer

as a kid. I wasn't able to, but uh I

always enjoyed playing at school and

admired it, but I wasn't ever a follower

of soccer in the US or

uh in other countries and other

continents. I know some uh American fans

of soccer, people who who do follow the

different leagues and tournaments that

are happening um here in the US and

maybe also especially

abroad. I've had people in my life who

were passionate about watching football

and that was never the case for me. I

just kind of have a vague idea of you

know, who the biggest stars are, biggest

football clubs. Like you know, you hear

about these rising stars in pop culture

sometimes, um but that's the extent

of what I know about football, right?

So, this year is kind of the first time

that I've taken more of an interest, and

I would say that definitely is coming

from the fact that I've been working on

my languages a little bit more. I

Spanish

for the last year, and more recently

I've been refreshing my Arabic. So, two,

you know, really big parts of the world

that care a lot about football, and that

has sort of

made me gravitate

towards the World Cup more. I also

studied international studies when I was

in college, so I always find these

global events that bring people together

from all around the world super

fascinating on a cultural and political

level. So, that's kind of interesting to

me too.

So, in the past, I might have seen

a little bit of some of the World Cup

games of previous years, um just on TV

or if I was um in a restaurant or

something and they would they'd play it

on the TV, right? But I wasn't super

interested, but this time,

um I've actually been watching it myself

at home, actually being the one going to

look for the games,

and not only that, I actually went to my

very first watch party. So, I haven't

been to a game in person. I don't know

uh if I ever will. Definitely not this

World Cup, but we'll see if I become a

bigger fan in the future if I have an

opportunity to go. Maybe that will

happen in my life at some point, but um

even though there are games happening

here in Los Angeles, I'm not planning to

go to any games in this tournament. But,

what I am doing differently is trying to

go to different watch parties. I have a

friend

who is from Argentina. Um she was born

and raised here in the US just like me,

but her parents are originally from

Argentina. I always knew that she uh

enjoyed supporting Argentina when they

play.

So, I asked her if I could join her this

time

um if she's going to any World Cup

events. And there was a watch party

yesterday for the Argentina versus

Algeria match.

And I it was at an Argentine steakhouse.

They put up a big screen and set out

tables and chairs and it was packed full

of people supporting Argentina.

Everybody is wearing jerseys. And uh I

don't own a jersey um for any team or

any country, but I did wear light blue.

I could match all of the people wearing

their jerseys. And we actually got like

a front row seat to the big screen and

it was crazy

and loud and fun and um you know, they

scored three goals. So, we got to

celebrate three goals altogether and it

was just

a blast. Peo- There were people playing

drums

throughout the whole time. The audience

was singing

lots of different songs, um cheering on

Argentina and Messi, and celebrating the

goals and the ultimately,

um

the team winning the game. And it was

just a whole lot of fun. Something that

I have never experienced before.

And so, I felt really lucky to be able

to

to join them. I just had a great time.

So, I will probably try to go to another

watch party when there's a another game

um with Argentina in the future. And I

might even try to join um some events

for some other teams. I'm not sure yet.

I'm going to an event on Friday that

maybe I'll make another vlog about. Um

and I know that at that event, they're

going to be screening the game. And I

think it's Morocco versus Austria, but I

could be wrong about that. I have to

double-check. But, uh in the meantime, I

just wanted to get this simple vlog out

to you guys and let you know that I'm

going to be making this type of video

more for you on my channel and on

English Spong and that I hope you

enjoy this type of video that is kind of

for, you know, like an intermediate

to high intermediate

type of learner and just about whatever

strikes my fancy. Whatever I want to

talk about, that's what these vlogs are

for. And so, you can give me any

feedback, of course, in the comments. I

would love to know if you are watching

the World Cup. Um if, like me, it's

something that's new for you um because

it certainly is something new for me to

be paying so much attention to this type

of event and this sports specifically.

So, I will see you in the next vlog.

Bye-bye.