No buzz for the World Cup with 44 days to go: why is that? | OneFootball

In Argentina, the lead-up to a World Cup is almost always noticeable in the streets: jerseys everywhere, flags hanging up, and football as the main topic of conversation. But this time, at least for now, the temperature seems to be showing something else.

A tour by La Voz through downtown Córdoba leaves a clear impression: the “World Cup fever” still hasn’t kicked in.

Few people know exactly when the tournament starts or who the National Team will face in its opening matches. The answers are hesitant, mixed up, or simply absent. There’s no anxiety, no countdowns. There is, rather, a sense of waiting.

Tomás, 22, summed it up plainly: “The euphoria has already passed, we’ve got it all.” The phrase comes out naturally, almost like a generational diagnosis after the National Team’s recent achievements.

At the street stalls, where enthusiasm has historically shown up early, the scene is similar. “Little to nothing so far,” said Carlos, a street vendor, when asked about sales of sky-blue-and-white jerseys. He only has a few hanging up, far from the buzz seen before other World Cups.

Further along, at another stall, Marcelo, also a vendor, admitted that the World Cup still doesn’t interest him much. “I’m not really up to date on the National Team, but I definitely am on Talleres,” he said, showing where his football attention is focused today.

He’s not the only one. Among people moving through downtown, interest seems scattered. Some admit there’s still time before the tournament begins; others simply don’t have the date in mind. “I know there’s a World Cup, but I don’t know when it starts,” said Lucía, a 19-year-old student, laughing.

The contrast with other years is obvious. In the lead-up to previous tournaments, the National Team’s presence in the streets was almost immediate. This time, by contrast, the intensity seems to have dropped a few notches.

The reasons, with the World Cup approaching

There are several possible explanations. On the one hand, the calendar: there’s still time, and interest may pick up closer to the start. On the other, the economic context, which also affects spending on merchandise and the way these events are experienced. And beyond that, there’s a feeling that’s hard to measure but easy to sense: after becoming world champions, two-time Copa América champions, and winners of the Finalissima, the urgency seems lower.

What more could be asked of Scaloni’s team? It’s a cycle that set the bar high and, at the same time, brought a certain calm. As if there were no longer anything left to prove.

Perhaps that’s why the passion hasn’t disappeared, but its rhythm has changed. There’s no early euphoria, but no indifference either. There’s a kind of pause.

Recent history, however, invites caution before drawing final conclusions. In a country where football runs through everything, the mood can change in a matter of days. A match, a squad announcement, a viral image, or simply the approaching date can awaken what today seems dormant.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.