For a couple weeks in June 2002, I was forcing myself awake at 4 a.m., walking with my little brother up the cul-desac to our friends’ house and meeting them in the game room to watch TV.

This wasn’t any TV though. Saturdays may have been reserved for Rocket Power and Courage the Cowardly Dog, but that summer, the tube was less cartoon and more sports.

The FIFA World Cup was underway, and I was glued.

I’ve mentioned my love of sports here plenty, but no love of any event — March Madness, NFL playoffs, Stanley Cup, World Series, you name it — can compare to the World Cup.

The most watched event on television worldwide, the tournament pits 32 nations against one another in a groups of four, with the top two from round robin play in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16.

The United States is in Group B with England, Iran and Wales, a decent placement that makes me hopeful we reach that knockout round.

World Cups are every four years, in between summer Olympic games, and the highest finish for the USA was third place, all the way back at the first tournament in 1930.

This tournament’s squad is a young one. The USA has been in what you might call a rebuilding mode, moving away from rostering many of its older players that failed to qualify us for the 2018 World Cup.

Our best player, arguably, is winger Christian Pulisic, who plays for Chelsea but is not really considered a major star in the lineup. We have a team with lots of talent and skill, but just gaining experience.

I hope we do better than I expect, which is a round of 16 exit.

It takes a full month to play all 64 of the games in the World Cup, and along with the storylines, they provide many an opportunity for people to get together and enjoy something not related to the upkeep of everyday life.

Back in 2002, I remember watching those games with my friends, then going out to the net-enclosed trampoline and playing an acrobatic version of the sport inspired by the world’s best. In 2006, I had just graduated high school and spent most of that tournament watching games with my dad, the last time we would have a chance to watch a tournament while living in the same house.

The 2010 installment I mainly took in at sports bars, but by the 2014 and 2018, I was in Missouri and watching games mostly from the comfort of my couch (or on a spare computer at the office…shhhh.)

This year, the World Cup is in November-December on account of the tournament being held in Qatar, where summertime temperatures are unplayable.

I’m most excited to watch these games from home with my family. The first tournament I remember watching with my dad was in 1994, held in the U.S.

Although my 15-month-old probably won’t remember much, there’s a chance the second grader clocks a few of my cheers for (or screams at) the Yanks, maybe even joining in with me.

Whether watching World Cups will be as big a part of their lives as mine or not, I can’t wait to pass down some of the memories I’ve made and hopefully make some fun ones for my family, too.

The tournament started Sunday with Qatar playing Ecuador, and USA opened play on Monday against Wales, mustering a 1-1 draw. The England match is Friday, and the Iran contest is Nov. 29, both starting at 1 p.m.

If you need me from 1-3 p.m. on any of those days, I’ll be as available as the score allows.

Kyle Troutman has served as the editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014. In 2017, he was named William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist for daily newspapers, and in 2022, he won a Golden Dozen Award from ISWINE. He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or ktroutman@cherryroad.com.

“I’m most excited to watch these games from home with my family. The first tournament I remember watching with my dad was in 1994, held in the U.S.

Although my 15-month-old probably won’t remember much, there’s a chance the second grader clocks a few of my cheers for (or screams at) the Yanks, maybe even joining in with me.”

Kyle Troutman has served as the editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014. In 2017, he was named William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist for daily newspapers, and in 2022, he won a Golden Dozen Award from ISWINE. He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or ktroutman@cherryroad.com.