Let’s go team U.S.A.! With the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ excitement reaching a feverish high, there’s no denying that tuning into the globally beloved sporting event is both thrilling and adrenaline pumping.
Considering that Miami is a bona fide melting pot, it makes sense that we are home to a slew of top World Cup™ viewing spots.
The tournament, which occurs every four years, continues now through July 13. The 411? The competition features 32 nations vying for the world championship. Broken up into two stages — the group stage followed by the knockout stage — World Cup™ fans are as passionate as it gets.
A truly international event, Spain is the defending champion, having won in South Africa four years ago, but host country Brazil has the most titles with five wins. Players to watch out for this year? Our eyes are on Lionel Messi, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suárez. Whether you’re rooting for Spain, Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Chile, Greece, Uruguay, England, Argentina, Belgium, Algeria, Iran, Nigeria, Portugal, United States, Ghana, Germany, Australia, Croatia, Japan, Italy or another beloved country — there’s one common bond here: the thrill of winning.
Not only are footballers good with soccer balls, it seems as if they know their way around a gas pedal too. Off the field, some of the sport’s top players like to take the wheel in cars that are sold here at THE COLLECTION.
Messi favors the Maserati GranTurismo, which succeeds in combining unrivalled class and elegance with uncompromising sports performance like no other four-seater car.
Designed to exhilarate, the Audi R8 blends explosive power and an exotic presence, the same of which can be said of driver Ronaldo.
Audi R8
Meanwhile, manufacturers are blending the line between luxury cars and sports, such as with the Audi Design Soccer Table. Bringing its considerable design chops to the game of foosball, Audi created a table worthy of its name, with a sleek brushed aluminum frame, high-end table components, slick integrated score markers, and an eye-grabbing glossy-green pitch.
Miami is in the process of getting our own Major League Soccer team, thanks to former international footballer David Beckham. Beckham recently joined Jaguar as a brand ambassador and will support significant forthcoming Jaguar product launches in China. On the start of the new partnership, Beckham commented, “I’ve always been an admirer of Jaguar – from the styling and design to the feel and roar of the engine, every element feels uniquely British. I love the classic E-Type of the 60s and today this legacy is alive in the phenomenal F-TYPE Coupe, a car that epitomizes British craftsmanship.”
In celebration of soccer month, Audi created a giant LED Scoreboard using the headlights of 28 Audi A8 flagship sedans. The colossal installation – which sits on the shores of Greenpoint, Brooklyn – will bring the excitement of the World Cup™ to NYC with a revolving digital scoreboard that projects the day’s soccer results. The scoreboard is the first installation in a season-long commitment by Audi to bring world-class soccer to the U.S. Check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG3bR-21JKM&feature=youtu.be
Where to watch the World Cup™ matches in Miami, you ask? Fútbol fanatics love to convene at 100 Montaditos (1401 Brickell Ave., Miami), Bulla GastroBar (2500 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables), Fado Irish Pub (900 S. Miami Ave., Miami), Fritz & Franz Bierhaus (60 Merrick Way, Coral Gables), George’s in the Grove (3145 Commodore Plaza, Coconut Grove) and John Martin’s (253 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables). And yes, soccer jerseys and face paint are encouraged here.
Lastly, get ready to hoot and holler: GOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
