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19 reasons we’re looking forward to the 2014 World Cup

Passionate fans, the brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul the Octopus and more…

1. Samba music

YouTube credit: HSIOM

2. Watching this guy in action

YouTube credit: CriRo7i

3. Ridiculously colourful goalkeeping jerseys

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(Neal Simpson/EMPICS Sport)

4. So much football, as David Mitchell would say

YouTube credit: Sarah M

5. US 94 nostalgia with late-night kick-offs (some group games start at 10pm Irish time)

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(Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport)

6. Seeing if Belgium can live up to the billing of being everyone’s ‘dark horses’

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(DIRK WAEM/Belga/Press Association Images)

7. Bosnian fans and their outlandish celebrations

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(Amel Emric/AP/Press Association Images)

8. Commentators like Nuno Matos going mad

YouTube credit: footballtv776

9. Playing the football clichés drinking game

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Image credit: @FootballCliches

10. All the incredibly passionate fans

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(Andres Kudacki/AP/Press Association Images)

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(DENIS FARRELL/AP/Press Association Images)

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(Cathal McNaughton/PA Archive/Press Association Images)

10. The endless scope for montages

YouTube credit: killianm2

11. The often quite catchy official song

YouTube credit: shakiraVEVO

12. The ludicrous-but-entertaining pre-tournament hype

YouTube credit: bombomchicken

13. The unusual way in which it often brings nations together

YouTube credit: Njoy fo͝otˌbôl

14. The lavish opening ceremonies

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(Neal Simpson/EMPICS Sport)

15. The unpredictable drama that often occurs on the big occasions

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Via gifsoup

16. Eamon Dunphy and the rest of the RTE panel’s controversial/always entertaining views on the sport

YouTube credit: RTÉ – Ireland’s National Television and Radio Broadcaster

17. The return of Paul the Octopus, or some equally psychic animal

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(Frank Augstein/AP/Press Association Images)

18. Given that Ireland haven’t qualified, the nation can now engage in its second-favourite pastime — slagging the English team

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Via quickmeme.com

19. And of course, the abundance of great football on display

YouTube credit: Arjun Pradeep

A version of this article was published on 22 November, 2013.

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