The World Cup begins this weekend.
Not that the masses seemed to be enthralled by the biggest sporting event in the world being moved to the middle of winter to accommodate a country that has a questionable human rights record at best.
Nevertheless, it’s fair to say that once Qatar and Ecuador get proceedings underway at 4pm on Sunday, people around the globe will set their eyes on the Middle Eastern country for the duration of the tournament.
With that in mind, KCLR will look back on arguably the greatest FIFA World Cup player of all-time, Ronaldo, the kit that he wore as Brazil triumphed for a record fifth time in 2002, and we’ll look ahead to the 2022 edition with an Irish journalist based in Qatar.
The Phenomenon: Ronaldo
A documentary about a player of the highest quality aired for the first time on BBC Four on Tuesday night.
‘The Phenomenon: Ronaldo’ is equally as good as the subject of this 90-minute look at the Brazil legend’s ordeals from 1998-2002 that culminated in a World Cup like no other in Japan and South Korea two decades ago.
With an insight into a player that was adored by so many but understood by so few, we’ll be getting the rundown on how the documentary was made from director Duncan McGrath and how the inputs of Zinedine Zidane, Christian Vieri, Roberto Carlos and more made this intrinsic look at the former Barcelona star’s heroics so fascinating and unique.
Iconic kits of the 21st century
The kit that Ronaldo wore is one of the most iconic in World Cup history as Brazil claimed the first World Cup of the century.
Loved and cherished by Selecao supporters and those who watched on as the likes of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Cafu starred, we’ll be chatting to the designer of that kit, Craig Buglass.
What is the pressure like of designing a kit that will be judged by millions? How long does it take to get to the end product? How nervous is the launch of a kit and does it match that of a player taking to the pitch?
We’ll find out when we chat to Buglass, who designed all of the Nike football kits from 200-2006, oversaw Puma’s kits from 2006-2010 and is currently at the heart of Spark Design Academy that affords the opportunity to people to take courses that educate them on how to design kits without having to incur the expense of attending a third level instiution.
Irish journalist in Qatar
While the nostalgia of past World Cups is mostly filled with warmth and fondness, the next installment may well be the most notorious in years to come.
One man who will be covering all of the vital components of this World Cup is the Daily Star’s Chris McKenna.
The Drogheda journalist will be in Qatar for the World Cup and we’ll be speaking to him live from the Gulf state about the worries surrounding this World Cup and what supporters watching on from afar and travelling to the country can expect from Sunday onward.
Whether you want to ignore this particular tournament and focus on the gems that lit up past events, or look ahead to what will undoubtedly be a World Cup like no other, we have you covered this weekend on KCLR’s Scoreline.
