Soccer Under The Sun The World Cup will start in Qatar Sunday, the first time the event has been held in the Middle East, and in winter. Every four years, the world comes together to watch “the beautiful game.” Teams come from around the world to represent their cultural identities and display their styles: the obnoxious and eccentric style of France, the flamboyant Brazilian samba football — which everyone admires — the precise Spanish Tiki Taka, the straightforward kick-and-run English style, or the creativity and strength of the Nigerians. Franklin Foer’s 2004 book, “How Soccer Explains the World,” describes the logic of Nigerian footballers on the pitch: “They had ingenuity that could make a bland Eastern Bloc team look downright continental.”

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