Russian President Vladimir Putin (centre right) and Fifa president Gianni Infantino pose for a photo with volunteers before the World Cup kicks off on June 14. Photo / AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin (centre right) and Fifa president Gianni Infantino pose for a photo with volunteers before the World Cup kicks off on June 14. Photo / AP
Fourteen more sleeps before you will wake up to the world's largest teams' sporting event — the men's 21st Fifa World Cup — kicking off in Russia.
But you would never have guessed it this time thanks to scant coverage on the world's 32 qualifiers from five confederations of the beautiful game, to be hosted in 11 cities at the former Cold War nation from June 14.
Is it because Russia came under intense scrutiny from the Western world from the moment it was picked as host?
The scepticism had stemmed from propaganda that Russia had secured the cup rights through corrupt means. Add to that the doping scandal the nation was embroiled in and a kind of sporting cold war emerges.
For me, it goes back to the South Africa scenario in 2010 where all sorts of crime were forecast but none of it turned out to be true.
Next month there's a prediction of Russian authorities using strong-arm tactics to counter hooligans and I say more power to them.
It'll be a sad day when the hooligans from rivals countries will eclipse the game on the park to see who excels at thuggery.
However, all that detracts from why the media is virtually devoid of sport coverage on the tournament. Russian, unfortunately, isn't part of my three-language broadband but that shouldn't stop participating nations from disseminating news.
For that reason, I thought, why not throw in a few morsels now that all the commotion has subsided on Real Madrid eclipsing Liverpool 3-1 for the Champions League crown.
Did Real Madrid skipper Segio Ramos rob the English club of victory when he grabbed Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah by the arm and pinned him all the way to the ground in the 30th minute to end all the prematch hype that blasphemously juxtaposed the Egyptian's prowess with those of pretty boy Cristiano Ronaldo?
Needless to say, Ramos, a Spaniard, is in no rush to book a family travel package to marvel the masonry of pyramids of Ancient Egypt if the behaviour of the cantankerous mob in Cairo is anything to go by.
Colombia's Frank Fabra celebrates scores a goal during an exhibition match in Bogota, Colombia, this week before the South Americans compete in the Fifa World Cup. Photo / AP
For what it's worth, I hear the Middle Eastern wails loud and clear — to the tune of a $1.67 billion lawsuit — because divine intervention will be almost certainly required for Salah to play in Egypt's first World Cup campaign for 28 years when they kick off in the second game against Uruguay at midnight NZ time on June 16.
But there was no stopping the English scribes from finding British bravado in the form of two-goal wonder Gareth Bale and whether his "goal of a lifetime", two minutes after coming on as a substitute, will ever be forgotten.
Dare I say it, that sort of accolade is reserved for the World Cup stage.
Besides, Bale's goal pales in comparison with the scorpion-kick goal from Riley McGree to help his Newcastle Jets pip Melbourne City in the A-League semifinals in Australia last month if we negate the need for putting competitions in a pecking order.
But Ronaldo stole the thunder in announcing he was leaving the marquee Spanish club.
Bale made similar noises on the condition that if he didn't get more game time than he has had in his past five years of piece-meal existence with Real Madrid he will depart.
He isn't going to be in Russia but Ronaldo, of Portugal, is.
England will open their cup account against Tunisia on June 16 but I wonder if Wales, or Scotland and Ireland, will get behind the Poms with the same sense of affinity as they do when Bale performs.
No doubt, a Meghan Markle-type public relations exercise will help England's cause dramatically.
As for Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius, it'll be two howlers that will keep him awake for many nights. The former age-group German international will hope to convince his national selectors they are just growing pains if he is ever to take the premier men's Fifa World Cup stage, never mind enter heaven with a nation who have won the cup four times, equal with Italy and second only to Brazil.
Traditional powerhouses, such as Italy, the Netherlands, Chile, Cameroon and the United States, will be conspicuous in their absence at the World Cup in Russia.
Never mind how glamorous the TV presentation of an elite competition, nothing compares to the thrill of watching players representing their countries of birth or allegiance.
It leaves for dead the plastic feel of mega-rich clubs buying talent to form hybrid teams who solicit patronage and loyalty. It is, after all, a dysfunctional existence packaged as professional sport these days.
Speculation is rife on who will etch their names on the crown. It goes something like this — Brazil, Germany, Argentina, France, Spain. Feel free to shuffle it to suit your argument.
England captain Bobby Moore holds up the Fifa World Cup in England's only win - on July 30, 1966. Photo / AP
England, for the record, come in somewhere around the 10th mark but that may be different in their media stream.
Australia are at the bottom of the pyramid but, it's safe to say, New Zealanders will be backing the Ockers to do the unthinkable in shocking a few favourites.
The Aussies will kick off against France on June 16 before facing Denmark (June 22) and Peru (June 27).
They'll need something special but that's why the tournament remains the only authentic sporting event where anyone can beat another on their day.
