A WHILE ago, I wrote about the ability of sport to bind us together and nowhere is this more apparent than at the ongoing World Cup.

Involving teams from around the world and supported by fans of all ages, nationalities, genders and ethnicities, this international football competition is held every four years in elected countries.

This year, the United States, Mexico and Canada share that honour and supporters of the various teams gather in their hundreds of thousands at packed stadiums to cheer on the players and share in the reflected glory of the winners.

Whether football fans or not, many have heard the name Lionel Messi, and many more will now become aware of the historic achievement of this Argentinian star player.

During a televised match between Argentina and Algeria, the stadium erupted when Messi scored a hat-trick (three goals).

Then, against Austria, I saw a group of Chinese spectators join the thunderous applause when he scored the second goal of the match and the fifth goal in two matches. This brought his overall total to 18 goals, making him the highest scorer in World Cup history.

But while this legendary player has become famous for his thrilling exploits on the field, others have also been enjoying widespread support and making their mark on a sport followed by a significant portion of the world’s population.

French striker, Kylian Mbappe and Norwegian, Erling Haaland, have also brought their own brand of exciting play and their names feature high on the list of top scorers behind Messi.

Famed Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo is there too, scoring his first goal within minutes of play against Uzbekistan and the second a short while later during the first half of the match. He is now not only the second oldest player to ever take part in the competition, but the first male footballer to score in six World Cups over a 24-year span.

These players have the ability to garner support not only because of their tremendous skill and agility on the field, but also their unwavering dedication to the sport, earning accolades from all who appreciate great sportsmanship.

But while the World Cup provides these big names with a golden opportunity to showcase their ability, it also gives lesser-known teams and players a chance to gain international exposure.

In my son’s home, where I am currently babysitting my latest grandchild, my visiting teenage grandson amazes me with his knowledge of the sport and even the more obscure players.

He and his uncle are informed football fans, who engage in entertaining discussions about the merits and problems of the various teams and players.

As I listen, realising that we three are also bridging the generation gap through football, I imagine similar talk taking place in homes, on street corners and at social venues the world over.

Football (also known as soccer in some regions) is the world’s most popular sport, with an estimated 250 million players and billions of fans worldwide. And the World Cup is the premier tournament in the sport, with players representing different countries travelling to compete.

Interestingly, ten years ago, during the European Football Association (EUFA) competition, an estimated 10% of Iceland’s 330,000 population travelled to France to watch their team play.

The United Nations (UN) says, “Football’s broad appeal and accessibility make it a potent tool for promoting health and well-being. It has also served as a vital platform for advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls, both on and off the field.”

The UN also touts sport in general as being instrumental in promoting peace globally. And like all sports, football fosters unity, breaks down barriers and “…provides a space where individuals from various backgrounds converge to promote mutual understanding, tolerance, respect, and solidarity.”

Sameer Jha, award-winning youth activist and author, painted a poignant picture of what sport can do when he described a scenario of two people whose paths would not normally cross, standing side by side watching a match.

“They instantly bond over their shared love of the sport and their distinct world’s blur, united by the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat and at times the mutual sigh of resignation that comes with a close loss.”

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.