May 28, 2010  •  In Art/Design, Personal, Sports

2010 World Cup Murals

There are exactly two weeks left until I become a soccer widow.

While J and I share enthusiasm for basketball and football, there is one sport where we do not stand on common ground: soccer.

Having grown up in Hong Kong and attended boarding school in England, J is a HUGE soccer — ahem, football — fan. His team of choice is Manchester United and he will be avidly cheering for England in two weeks. He even had a friend in Hong Kong find, and ship over a vintage England jersey for the event!

Me? I can care less about soccer. (According to J, I am too “Americanized” to appreciate the sport.)

Since the FIFA World Cup only takes place every four years, I am fully prepared to take the back seat to soccer for a month and let J enjoy his favorite sport. He will be hosting and attending parties, staying up late to catch games that are playing live, and partake in the drunken debauchery that usually accompanies the most popular organized team sport in the world.

Is anyone else looking forward to the 2010 World Cup?

While it is clear that I am not a big soccer fan, I will try my best to root for my home country, South Korea. I may be an American citizen but I will always have pride for my native country. And besides, S. Korea has had the most success and holds the most promise of all the Asian teams.

My favoritism (and bias) for Korea has already reared its ugly head. Earlier this week, J and I noticed the new 2010 World Cup murals posted on the side of the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Times Square. J let out a chuckle as soon as he located the England one.

“Why is that funny?”

“The three people on the poster, the number 66…nevermind, you won’t understand. You need to know the history of the England team.”

I shrugged off his answer, and my eyes started roaming for the Korean mural…

…and there it was. It was easily the most striking and powerful mural of the collection. At least in my eyes.

Take a look at the rest of the 32 murals, commissioned by ESPN and illustrated by the South African design studio AM I Collective.

Algeria
Algeria
Argentina
Argentina
Australia
Australia
Brazil
Brazil
Cameroon
Cameroon
Chile
Chile
Denmark
Denmark
England
England
France
France
Germany
Germany
Ghana
Ghana
Greece
Greece
Honduras
Honduras
Italy
Denmark
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast
Japan
Japan
Mexico
Mexico
Netherlands
Netherlands
New Zealand
New Zealand
Nigeria
Nigeria
North Korea
North Korea
Paraguay
Paraguay
Portugal
Portugal
Serbia
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Africa
South Korea
South Korea
Spain
Spain
Switzerland
Switzerland
Uruguay
Uruguay
USA
USA

Which mural is your favorite?

Which team will YOU be rooting for in two weeks?

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4 Responses to “2010 World Cup Murals”

  1. Nina says:

    It’s "I COULDN’T care less about soccer." "I can care less" implies that you do in fact care about soccer and it would be possible for you reduce the amount you care. Make sense? 🙂

    xoxo, Loyal Reader/Grammar Police

  2. mindy says:

    gOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO korea.
    The south one!!!
    Saturday, 7am!!!

  3. Palila says:

    Whoo! I’m really looking forward to the World Cup; my husband will become the soccer widow. I’m not sure who I’m rooting for yet, I want to see some good group play first.

  4. Becca says:

    Dear LR/GP – totally feel your pain, but it’s an Americanism and we have to allow them their interpretations 😉 Drives me potty as well!

    Should be supporting England, because if they win we get a refund of the cost of our new TV. However, their drink driving, affairs, excessive money, grotty WAGS and general abhorrent behaviour lead me to want to support some grass rootsy team where people actually respect football as a sport. I’ll join you in South Korea.

    xx

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