FIFA WORLD CUP VS UEFA CHAMPIONS’ LEAGUE – Which is the Biggest Football Show on Earth?

 Several protests in the city of Sao Paulo before the start of 2014 World cup in Brazil and the bribery scandal that rocked the football governing body over the Qatar hosting right for 2022 FIFA World cup, may have impacted negatively on the reputation of the mundial. The question is, did all these affect the way people perceived the World cup? Is the World cup the biggest football show on earth?

The argument is on. Many pundits would rather rank UEFA Champions League higher than the world cup. But again the champions’ league is not without its own flaws.

2013/ 14 UEFA Champions’ league finals was indeed an anti-climax, which actually turned out to be a local derby of two unexpected Spanish teams: Real Madrid Vs Atletico Madrid. Considering the fact that the same thing happened in 2012/ 13 season, when two German teams: Bayern Munich Vs Borussia Dortmund also played in the finals. Most fans across the World just lost interest in the game, which recorded an all time low global television audience.

So then, we want to find out how these two unrivalled football events are ranked in the mind of people across the world. The research is inconclusive until we have your own comments.

FIFA World CUP

“There’s no event on earth that’s bigger than the world cup, not even the Olympics.” Annal Ozil, a sports journalist from Germany declared.

“The World cup, as it is said, is more than just a football game. FIFA organizes for the whole of human race, the biggest summer party that last for a whole month in every four years.” Ozil claimed.

“While UEFA Champions’ league is followed only by passionate football fans, the world cup captures the imagination of everyone person on earth in such a way that nothing matters anymore, expect football.” Ozll concluded.

 Gianluigi Buffon, Italian national team goalkeeper and captain, brought another angle to it: “I think nothing in football is better than the world cup. The pride of playing for your own country is so fulfilling.”

“Playing in the world cup is every players dream and they play their heart out and when they are eliminated you could see how much it hurt them. “ Buffon tried to capture how emotional players can get in the world cup.

“UEFA Champions’ league is a very important tournament however, most of the top clubs and players want to win it, but they also know they’ll be there next year. I think for the fact that the world cup comes up once in every four years raises the excitement to crescendo; it gives the tournament so much value.”  Buffon summated.

UEFA Champions’ League

“UEFA Champions’ league has built such an amazing brand preference here in Nigeria.” Chibuike Nwosu, an advertising executive from Media Reach attested.

“The whole country stands at a still on most Tuesdays and Wednesdays when champions’ league matches are played. Though, I don’t have the exact figures, but I think the yearly cumulated audience will be by far larger than that of the world cup.”

Xiu Chong, a Chinese football fan in Beijing said: “Obviously, UEFA Champions’ league gain more money than the world cup does. 2010/11 Champions’ league had much more quality than 2010 world cup in South Africa.”

 Iker Casillas, goalkeeper and captain of both Spanish national team and Real Madrid, preferred UEFA Champions’ league:

“Winning UEFA Champions’ league is more important to me than FIFA World cup. Understand, the champions’ league bring together some of the best players in the world, organized into some of the biggest clubs over a period and are made to play at the highest level the game could ever attain.”

“It’s different with FIFA World cup; countries hardly have enough time to put their team in shape. Players are exhausted from a whole season work load and we see some continents like Africa, Asia, and North America, where the game isn’t that developed, present teams that compete at a very low level.” Casillas explained.

Indeed, the debate is far from being settled, and it can’t be over without you telling us your own opinion on the matter – Which is the biggest football show on earth? Comment on the box below.