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The untold stories of the World Cup in Canada

Ciarán Breen

The 2018 World Cup has been one of the most entertaining in recent memory, but you don’t have to be in Russia to experience the passion behind the drama.

By immersing ourselves in unique cultural experiences around Toronto, we discovered some of the untold stories of the tournament, while also tasting the international spirit and diversity of the country.

Episode 1 – Passion for Panini: The sticky side of the World Cup.

You’ve heard of trading cards, but how about Panini stickers? A global phenomenon, the craze runs deep, all the way to Canada. To some these are just stickers, but for others they represent home, unity and passion for the game. We went to a Peruvian restaurant in the Toronto suburbs to learn more.

Episode 2 – England broke my heart: A father and son story

England’s loss to Iceland at the 2016 European Championship is as low as the national team has been since the distant glory of 1966. Heartbreak comes with the territory of supporting The Three Lions, but for Yahoo Canada Sports’ Nick Ashbourne, it threatened to ruin a father-son trip.

As the Three Lions kicked off their campaign in Russia, Simon and Nick Ashbourne meet at the Queen and Beaver in Toronto to reminisce about the game and recall the verbal beating they took from their Irish bartender at a bar in Denver.

Episode 3 – Captain Tsubasa: Japanese Comic Icon

Captain Tsubasa — a popular Japanese comic book series about a soccer player — has inspired a number of top-end players to pursue a career in football. To understand the cultural significance of the soccer-playing hero, and why it inspired people to fall in love with the sport, we join the Japanese Football Club of Toronto as they gather for a flagship gathering to watch Japan play Senegal at the 2018 World Cup.

Episode 4 – The spirit of Samba

Samba is more than just a Brazilian dance. It’s the spirit of a people and the sound of a nation. As the Selecao try to win a sixth World Cup, we meet up with T.Dot Batu, Toronto’s premiere Samba Reggae band, to hear about the history of Samba, its connection with soccer, and the essential role it plays in supporting the Brazilian national team.