So it begins again. It is only three and a half years since the last World Cup final. Anyone who has read previous blogs will know about my long-term love for Argentina and so it will come as no surprise that I got quite emotional when they won last time around.
In 2026 they are in with a fair chance once again but of course my own country, Scotland, is also there for the first time since 1998. All of that should make for even more anticipation and excitement but I have to admit that I feel a bit ambivalent. I want the best for my home team and for all the Tartan Army members who are travelling to support them but at the same time the whole event seems a bit tarnished by the crazy kick off times (for a Scotland fan), the incredible greed of FIFA and the organisers and the political background underlying it all.
Will I watch all the matches? No I won’t, but I can’t bring myself to boycott the event entirely. I will have to be a bit choosy and pick how and when I join in.
One thing which I am definitely looking forward to is the Mexican part of the adventure. Helen and I were lucky enough to visit Mexico City last November as a way of celebrating a special birthday for me. It was our first visit to the country and we loved it. Great food, architecture, history, art, a vibrant culture, friendly people and lucha libre wrestling too! We arrived just after the Day of the Dead celebrations and I was surprised and delighted to encounter a huge skeleton version of the late, great Diego Armando Maradona on the Paseo de la Reforma. His story is of course forever linked with that of the Estadio Azteca, where the World Cup kicks off.
Anyone lucky enough to be in Mexico for the World Cup will be guaranteed a friendly welcome and a great stay in what is a true football lovers’ country. So come on Scotland and Vamos, vamos, Argentina – let the games commence.