• Matthew J Smith

In Jamaica, which is always in need of healthy distraction, football is King and everyone at heart is a Brazilian. Since 1958.

• Todd Cleveland

Watching the World Cup in Finland and Estonia. Sample: "Finns just aren’t very good at, nor are they voracious consumers of the game." As for Estonians, read on.

• Grégory Pierrot

When Germany played Brazil in the 2002 World Cup final, who would French fans in Paris root for?

• Vik Sohonie

Most teams have 12 starting players — 11 on the field and a roaring chorus in the stands. Brazil’s national side will always have a 13th player: Haiti.

• Ron Krabill
• Danny Hoffman

Collecting football stories that highlight the world – the African world, in this case – and making the Seattle game global in the process.

• Jesica Paola Kessler

Argentina crashed out of the 2018 World Cup. It's not Messi's fault.

• Will Youmans

The author relives his greatest World Cup moment.

• Davy Lane

When you say Uruguay, African football fans automatically say "2010" and "Luis Suarez." Well, there's more to the team and the country's history

• Simon Akindes

The Africans, already underrepresented, withered away during the Group stage. Even VAR, invented to clean up the game, could not save them.

• Laurent Dubois

For a long time most football fans experienced the game via the radio, making broadcasters cult figures. Like Allou Ndiaye in 1950s Senegal.

• Grégory Pierrot

Race, class and the French National Team.

• Keith Hamusute

In 1994, Zambia was on the cusp of qualifying for the World Cup. After a tragedy wiped out the national team it lost to bad refereeing.

• Ndeye Debo Seck

Ndeye Debo Seck has lost interest in local club football in Senegal. It has a lot to do with how the local game is administered.

• Norbert Odero

A Kenyan football fan reflects on a lifetime of World Cup finals.

• Steven Friedman

The reason why African teams struggle in the World Cup has everything to do with colonialism.

• Sebastian Abbot

Until African officials stop lining their pockets and instead identify and develop the best young talent the continent has, an African nation winning the World Cup will remain elusive.

• Laurent Dubois

The Senegalese football jersey is a powerful symbol of nationhood and independence.

• Ndeye Debo Seck

Football in Senegal is magic. That the team has qualified for their second World Cup, heightens the joy.

• Haythem Guesmi

Tunisia played England in France '98. English hooligans attacked Tunisians in the streets of Marseille. Algerians came to Tunisians' rescue.

• Kwesi Foli

One Ghanaian football fan wrestles with which teams to support in this year's World Cup after the Black Stars failed to qualify.