Bringing us together
世界杯让我们团结
After four long years of waiting, one of the best events in sports has finally returned.
经过四年漫长的等待之后，体育界的一大盛事终于回归了。
The 2018 World Cup kicked off in Russia on June 14.
6月14日，2018年世界杯在俄罗斯开赛。
Unlike the Olympics, the World Cup is a single-sport event, yet it still manages to attract millions of television viewers from around the world.
和奥运会不同的是，世界杯是场单项体育赛事，但它仍吸引了全球数百万的电视观众。
"Soccer is a universal language that we speak with different accents," Brazilian soccer journalist Tim Vickery told Sportsnet. "The biggest act that most people engage in is cheering for their team during the World Cup."
“足球是种全球通用的语言，我们都操着不同的口音讨论着它，”巴西足球记者蒂姆·维克里在接受Sportsnet网站采访时表示。“大多数人都参与的一大活动便是在世界杯期间为各自的球队加油喝彩。”
Just like Spring Festival or Christmas, the World Cup is about the spirit of the season.
就像春节或者圣诞节一样，世界杯体现了当赛季的精神。

Some die-hard soccer fans even travel to the host country to watch as many games as they can, despite jet lag. "I kind of pick the game of the day," US soccer coach Nick Rogers, who's currently in Russia for the World Cup, told The Press Democrat. "I like to watch the game with other coaches, soccer players and soccer families."
一些铁杆球迷甚至前往世界杯的主办国，不顾时差反应也要尽可能多地在现场观赛。“我会选出当天的最佳比赛，”现在正在俄罗斯观赛的美国足球教练尼克·罗杰斯在接受《民主报》采访时表示。“我喜欢和其他教练、球员以及球迷大家庭一起看球赛。”
Not being there to see the matches in person doesn't stop fans from keeping up with the action, however. In fact, a recent survey done by online recruitment firm GulfTalent found that the World Cup affects work productivity. "Even if we're at work, we can remain updated on what is going on by quickly checking the live score boards and commentary, or live streaming it on our smartphones and computers," Rehan Tayyab, from the United Arab Emirates, told the Khaleej Times.
然而，无法亲临现场看球并不会让球迷们错过赛况。事实上，在线招聘公司GulfTalent近期的一项调查发现，世界杯影响了工作效率。“就算我们在工作，也能快速扫一眼实时记分牌和实况报道，或者在智能手机和电脑上在线观看比赛，借此获知最新赛况，”来自阿联酋的里恩·塔亚布在接受《海湾时报》采访时表示。
But for the players on the pitch, the World Cup isn't just about excitement. It can be a launch pad for a great career too.
但对于球场上的球员而言，世界杯不仅仅是激动人心的赛事，也是开启伟大职业生涯的跳板。
For younger players, the World Cup is a chance to get noticed. Put in an outstanding performance against a strong team or score a few good goals, and the greatest clubs in the world may be knocking at your front door.
对于年轻球员而言，世界杯是获得关注的一次机会。对阵强队时能表现出色或者踢进几粒好球，或许就能获得全球顶级俱乐部的青睐。
And for veterans, the event is a great stage upon which to seek redemption for disappointments in the past. For Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, a World Cup title would be the icing on his impressive cake, as he already holds national records for international appearances and goals.
而对于老将而言，这一赛事是弥补过往失误的极佳舞台。对于葡萄牙足球巨星C罗而言，赢得世界杯能为他的辉煌成绩锦上添花，因为他已经是葡萄牙国家队出场和进球的纪录保持者。
For Ronaldo's archrival, Argentina's Lionel Messi, it's a bit more complicated. No matter how many goals he scores, without a World Cup win he'll always be a distant second to Diego Maradona in the hearts of fans at home.
但对于C罗的劲敌、阿根廷队的梅西而言，情况则变得略微复杂。在阿根廷球迷的心中，不论梅西踢进了多少粒进球，未能赢得世界杯的他总是远不如迭戈·马拉多纳。
But whichever player performs the best this year, the true spirit of the World Cup has always been how it brings people together.
但不论今年的最佳球员是谁，世界杯的真正精神一直都将人们团结在一起。