A Sticker's Worth 500 Words

The last time the World Cup was hosted in the United States the players had more to battle than their opponents and a nation with little love for the sport they call soccer. Temperatures soared during June and July, touching forty degrees for some games, which might provide some explanation for the likes of Roberto Baggio , Dan Petrescu and Diana Ross fluffing their lines from the penalty spot. For the Republic of Ireland team the heat even hit on the sidelines with John Aldridge famously getting hot and bothered and Steve Staunton donning a baseball cap to stave off the sun during the national anthems. No doubt this summer’s edition will see similar headwear on show owing to the winning combination of sweltering heat and the host’s penchant for using his own to remind him of what nonsense he’s going to spout. While baseball caps have become en vogue for everyone from roadmen to East London parents they have been an increasingly rare sight on the football pitch. In the early days, wh...