The most beautiful aspects of the 2018 World Cup

The most beautiful aspects of the 2018 World CupArt by Hannah Carroll | @HannahCDesigns
The World Cup has come and gone, and while we were thrilled by France, heartened by Croatia, impressed by Belgium, and—to be perfectly honest—still giggling a little over England, parts of this tournament have left a bitter taste in our mouths. And we’re not talking about how disappointing Germany were, either.

 

Certain themes that seem to repeat themselves during every major men’s tournament have continued to cycle through the conversation: non-European players are histrionic dirty divers, black players are labeled as “polarizing“, women are told they are not qualified to call a match, women reporting on a match are sexually assaulted, women are reminded that their role in football is to serve as an object of the male gaze.

 

So, in the spirit of revolution, Unusual Efforts is fighting back. This list of players, team members, close associates, commercials, chaos, and moms is not defined by the male gaze (although we sure do love that men of all sexualities are willing to tell us how hot the male players are). Our goal is to show that beauty appears in a multitude of ways — and that, far from being objects to be fetishized and fantasized about, women fully participate in the sport of soccer, whether it is by analyzing the game, considering the context around a player’s behavior, enjoying the crazy moments a match brings, or sitting forward and drinking in the physical beauty of this beautiful game.

Adem Ljajić, midfielder, Serbia

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Adem can be indolent, he can be stubborn, and he is certainly known to rebel, particularly against the demands placed on him by his coaches. What one might view as “rebellion” saw him dismissed from the Serbian national team under Siniša Mihajlović (and the subsequent inability of Serbia to qualify for Brazil 2014). Ljajić, from the predominately Muslim region known as the Sandžak and a practicing Muslim himself, refused to sing the national anthem due to its emphasis on the Orthodox religion. After Miha left, the gorgeous attacker returned, standing silently during the anthem and allowing his beautiful passes, carving through the midfield, to speak for themselves.

Submitted by Kirsten Schlewitz

 

Mat Ryan, goalkeeper, Australia

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Mat is a great ‘keeper and an even better person. He paid for 27 members of his family to join him in Russia. It would have been more but not all of them could make it. So there were more members of the Ryan family in Russia than there were people in Australia’s playing squad. He’s very family oriented and has spoken about the sacrifices his mum made for him so that he could play professionally.

Submitted by Marissa Lordanic

 

Odion Ighalo, forward, Nigeria
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Toni Kroos, Midfielder, Germany

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Free kick goals are always special. When they come in the 94th minute of 5 minutes of stoppage time to win a game, though, they are beautiful. Especially because Toni Kroos’s goal was a gif-t to the internet. (I couldn’t help myself.)

Submitted by Megan Smith

 

Honorable mention: Germany
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Ramin Rezaeian, defender (and model!), Iran

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Honorable Mention: Open Stadiums

 

Valon Behrami, midfielder, Switzerland

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Valon Behrami…’s leg tattoo. The Swiss midfielder has captured scenes of war and peace on his most important football appendage; the conflict in the Balkans that impacted his family is now forever immortalizing on his skin. In a culture where tattoos and body art (including hair styles) have become status symbols, Behrami’s touching tribute shows the beauty, and the horrors, of where footballers came before they first stepped onto the pitch.

submitted by Sonja Missio  

 

Carlos Vela, forward, Mexico

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Emil Forsberg, forward, Sweden and Shanga Forsberg (nee Hussain) formerly of FFV Leipzig

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Emil and Shanga Forsberg are one of the sweetest football couples (both played for RB Leipzig at one time). Shanga is referred to as “The Sherriff” by Emil, who says he only gets nervous after a bad game because he knows what he is coming home to. Emil went from being rejected by youth teams for being too short to shooting Sweden to the quarterfinals.

Submitted by Megan Smith

 

 

Andrés Iniesta, midfielder, Spain

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Edinson Cavani, forward, Uruguay 
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I could wax rhapsodic about his cheekbones, his flowing locks, the pecs that stand out in the tightest-of-tight Puma jerseys. But the true beauty of Edinson Cavani is how he embodies garra Charrúa, the grit and ferocious pride of being Uruguayan, of always feeling just that little bit smaller, with something to prove. In his gorgeous letter to his nine year-old self, Cavani explains it better than I ever could: “The blessing and the curse for Uruguayans is that we can never relax. It is the history of our football, and the history of our country. When Uruguayans put on their football shirt, they feel the pride of their history.”

Submitted by Jessie Losch

 

Jordan Pickford, goalkeeper, England
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Have you heard Jordan Pickford talk? Not only the words- a poetic mixture of confidence and determination with a dash of charming goofiness- but also his incredible accent, which is so thick that his club, Everton, has occasionally added subtitles to his interviews. I don’t even like podcasts, but if Jordan Pickford had one, I could listen to a 24 hour marathon of him talking nonstop. His diving saves are among the most beautiful of the World Cup, but his unabashed command of his back line (which can be heard up in the cheap seats) is also a work of art. Give him a listen. You will fall in love.

Submitted by Rachel Rose Gold

 

Honorable mention: Harry Kane, forward, England
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Romelu Lukaku, forward, Belgium

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This World Cup, gratifyingly, saw a number of tired, racist tropes called out. One player whose young career has already garnered so many of punditry’s cheapest and laziest assessments – whether the back-handed compliments focussing on ‘pace and power’ or the semi-veiled references to ‘laziness’ or ‘lack of football intelligence’ – offered up, in one sublime, succinct act, the ultimate rebuttal. Romelu Lukaku‘s astonishingly deft, cerebral ‘ghost-assist’ for Belgium’s come-back winner against Japan will live as one of this World Cup’s best moments, and a perfect snapshot of the beauty of this player’s immense dedication, skill and intelligence.

Submitted by Shona Black

 

Honorable mention: Thomas Vermaelen, defender, Belgium
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Luka Modrić, midfielder, Croatia
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His elfin magic and Herculean effort to carry his team, the way he seemed to have more gas in the tank at the 95th minute then the 5th, his selfless play and beautiful delivery…what’s not to love?

Submitted by Hillary Haldane

 

Honorable mention: Mario Mandžukić, forward, Croatia
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Kylian Mbappé, forward, France
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One could describe it as insouciance, but that would be an injustice. What makes Kylian Mbappé‘s outrageous skills so much more than ‘flicks and tricks’ is that every one serves a distinct purpose; no back-heel, no step-over is superfluous at the feet of this prodigy. Style and function merge seamlessly at Mbappé’s command.

Submitted by Shona Black

 

Aliou Cissé, coach, Senegal
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@SaraLosch, Best Use of a Different Voice in Social Media, covering England vs Belgium

 

“Time on Your Hands”, Wish, Best Commercial of the 2018 World Cup

YouTube link provided by Sanaa

 

The Wild Boars, Thailand, Best Story Associated with the 2018 World Cup

 

Chaos, Winner, 2018 World Cup

Remember 3000 years ago when this World Cup began and we turned our weary eyes to our screens, hoping for predictability and order in a world otherwise consumed by merrily rising flames? Ha. This Cup (in moments, if not in results) has been the Cup of Chaos. From the early upsets, to the shithousery, to the terrible reffing (I miss you, Geiger), to Kylian Mbappé in the last few minutes of the semi-finals, chaos has been the one consistent feature of this tournament. Let’s hear it for chaos, the true MVP of the tournament.

Submitted by Ritika Bhasker

 

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