World Cup fever has arrived — and the early stories are just getting started

A COUPLE of days before the start of the World Cup, I asked many Malaysians about it, and they told me the tournament feels different this time around.

The hype is not there, and there is far more negativity off the field than on it.

Perhaps there is plenty of confusion about where to watch it and whether to pay for a new streaming service or simply access it Free-to-Air.

Even the on-ground activations felt hollow, but once the opening performance ended, the World Cup fever finally hit.​ Somehow, the Cup of Life feels different. It is different from your regular club football season.

It is different from the Euros, the Copa America and even the Asian Cup. Perhaps it is the gathering of the world’s best players across three countries that makes the World Cup truly special.

Even non-football fanatics catch the fever. If your mother-in-law is asking who you are rooting for, you know this tournament is unlike any other.​

Mexico started with a win, but the standout teams in the tournament so far are South Korea, the United States and Australia.

The South Koreans are showing the football world that this time around, the Asian teams are coming to play and not just to participate, but to win!

The best part: Asian teams such as South Korea are doing it by playing football the right way.​

Even after going a goal down against Czech Republic, the Koreans stuck to their game plan and were duly rewarded with a splendid equaliser and a winner.

The Czechs still played the old- school way and got their opener from a set-piece. Perhaps thay should take a page from the Korean playbook.

The Czech team relied on their physicality, but the Koreans are staying true to the ‘‘pass and move’’ philosophy.

Football philosophy wins, and I hope many other teams will follow suit.​

The United States are showing the football world that the Americans have finally arrived. Mauricio Pochettino’s men put on their best-ever performance in international football, winning 4-1 against Paraguay — no easy feat.

Winning big puts the rest of the world on notice.

Paraguay were outmatched in the middle of the park, and both their right-back and leftback had a torrid time.

Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie ran the show, and Gio Reyna scored a golazo to justify his selection.

Now is the time to build on the win and go as far as possible.

Going far could accelerate the development of the sport at the grassroots level.​

While Australia did not put on an entertaining display, they were effective tactically. Sitting back and hitting Turkiye on the counter-attack proved to be the undoing of the European side.

Even the stars from Inter Milan and Real Madrid could not break the yellow and green wall.

The upcoming game between the USA and Australia could be the decider for who will finish top of Group D.​

As for the Brazilian squad, they are still looking for their Joga Bonito after being held to a 1-1 draw by the African champions, Morocco.

Truth be told, Morocco were the better team and played more like Brazil than the Brazilians did.

Perhaps the influence of a European manager has made Brazil more European than South American.

While Vinicius Junior may have won the man of the match award — surprisingly — the real star of the game was 18- year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Bouaddi definitely put the big clubs on notice.

If you are looking for a midfielder who can control the game and contribute defensively, Bouaddi is your man.

I hope he continues to shine as the tournament progresses.

Five days in, and the World Cup spirit is in full swing!

More drama is yet to come, as England are still yet to play.

Is the trophy coming home, or will it just be the Three Lions?

Will Lionel Messi make a statement, or will it be Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal that will steal the show?

According to The Simpsons, the final will be Mexico versus Portugal. If you are feeling brave, perhaps place a wager on it.