world cup

These kids are from Camp Sunshine, a support program for children and teens fighting cancer. If that can't rile up the team, what will?

That was USA's reaction to Landon Donovan's game winning goal in 2010...
Here's some other stuff you may not know:

2014 marks the United States' seventh straight World Cup appearance, something only Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Spain and South Korea have done. We have advanced to the knockout rounds three of the last five times, and got to the quarterfinals in 2002.

Our World Cup history includes more than a few star players (from left to right above): Joe Gaetjens (1950), John Harkes (1990, 1994), Clint Dempsey (2006, 2010, 2014), Alexi Lalas (1994), and Landon Donovan (2002, 2006, 2010).

And be sure to check out MLSSoccer.com for more awesome World Cup Facts.

Things get a bit technical, obviously, but the point is that 3D printing technology and modern neuroscience is going to let a paralyzed patient kick the first ball at the World Cup. How awesome is that?

From Neatorama:

Hélio Surdos's friend Carlos is deaf, blind, and a huge soccer fan. As a result of his sensory limitations, he's been largely left out of the excitement of the World Cup in Brazil. One morning, Hélio woke up with a great desire to help Carlos follow a soccer match live. So he made a scale model of a soccer field and marked lines with what appears to be a plastic clay. During a match between Brazil and Croatia, Hélio moved Carlos's hands over the board to match the movement of the ball. Regiane, an interpreter, verbally signed the gameplay into Carlos's back. As you can see, Carlos really got into the spirit of the event.