As the first fixture of the 2014 World Cup kicked off last Thursday afternoon in Brazil, many exhaustively exuberant soccer fans gathered at Quigley’s Irish Pub in downtown Naperville.
Croatia scored the first goal of this year’s Cup, but Brazil striked back taking the match 3-1. The 32 team World Cup is held every four years to determine the world’s best soccer team.
As soccer and the World Cup has gained popularity in the United States in recent decades, viewership and network coverage has steadily increased. All 64 games are being broadcast on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 and several area bars are showing the games live on TV.
“It doesn’t get much better than having a packed bar on a Thursday afternoon and getting patrons in the door.” said Quigley’s general manager Andy Nosek. “Soccer is making a surge in popularity similar to the 1980’s (and the 1994 World Cup held in America) .”
Quigley’s also raffled off an official Brazil Jersey. There will be many official team jerseys raffled off during select games over the next month.
A group of Naperville bred soccer fans gathered to watch Brazil take on Croatia. They’re all cheering for the United States, but several omitted it is “unrealistic” that they will make it out of pool play – agreeing with most soccer analysts and sports writers.
Quigley’s staff also provides patrons with insights to who will win the tournament. There’s the traditional powerhouses like Germany and Brazil, but the staff often suggests Belgium as a dark horse. They also concur America will be lucky to make it out of pool play.
The United States ironically faces Ghana in their first match on Monday at 5PM. They lost to Ghana in the 2010 World Cup round of 16 2-1 and has been a thorn-in-the-side ever since.
Quigley’s Irish Pub is located at 43 East Jefferson in downtown Naperville. For more info and World Cup action at Quigley’s, visit www.quigleysirishpub.com.
