The World Cup kicks off in June, billions will turn their attention to games spread across

the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

It's an experience Roger Bennett likens to a solar eclipse, except the Earth is completely

engulfed not by darkness but by soccer.

I spoke with him recently about his new book, We Are the World Cup, a personal history of the world's greatest

sporting event. Roger Bennett, welcome back to the news hour. Thank you for having me, Jeff.

So, Roger, the subtitle of this book makes the case, a personal history of the world's greatest

sporting event. Do you have a favorite World Cup game,

a favorite memory? I have so many. It's where I wrote a book about them. Look, the World Cup,

which happens every four years, is the spine of my life, not just my life, but millions of human

beings across the planet. It's a magical, and the book, I hope, is a magical telling of the power

of the men's tournament, which I've come to realize is like a solar eclipse that engulfs the

entire planet for its duration. And it's what we're in store for this summer when it comes to

the United States, Canada and Mexico in just over a hundred days time.

And you have watched American soccer culture grow in the three decades since you came to the

US. How have you seen American fandom change in that time? It's incredible. I moved here right

before the 1994 Men's World Cup, which was meant to turn America overnight into a football-loving

nation. America then was like space to Captain Kirk, the final frontier. Still the biggest

World Cup of all time in terms of attendance, but it was like a circus that came and went. And tournament

to tournament, the audience has gotten bigger and bigger and bigger.

Also, the internet that's allowed Americans to feel as close to the game as if they

lived in Manchester, Liverpool or Madrid.

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