The year’s best soccer games weren’t just Fifa and Football Manager

I never understood soccer until I watched it with my father. It happened when I was visiting my parents once during the height of World Cup season. Italy was in the running, and that was a big deal to my dad, an immigrant who came over from Abruzzo. Despite the fact that I always found the game boring, his energy was infectious enough to keep me glued to the television. I saw the matrix that day, suddenly understanding all the thrilling nuances the sport had to offer and buying into the cultural importance of it all. It was imperative to me that Italy win.