From Microgravity Goals to Global Cheers—Space Station Crew Unites Earth and Sky for the 2014 FIFA World Cup
As billions of fans across the globe turn their eyes to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, an elite group of six is watching from a bit farther away—about 250 miles above Earth, aboard the International Space Station.
“Have fun,” Wiseman said during the video. “Play hard, and we’ll be watching on the International Space Station.”
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Steve Swanson, along with European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst of Germany, have joined the worldwide celebration with their own cosmic tribute. In a spirited video released June 11, the trio is seen playing a bit of microgravity soccer inside the ISS, floating and flipping as they kick a small soccer ball through the station’s lab modules.
Swanson shows off impressive moves—especially his microgravity bicycle kicks—proving that the lack of gravity only enhances the flair. Meanwhile, the camaraderie aboard the ISS echoes the unity and sportsmanship of the tournament.
“We want to wish all the teams and fans on the ground and in Brazil a great World Cup,” Gerst said during the video. “Have fun and have peaceful games. May the best win.”
With national pride in orbit, friendly rivalry is expected when Germany and the United States face off on June 26. The astronauts have scheduled time to catch as many games as their duties allow, NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries confirmed.
This isn’t the first time the beautiful game has made its way into orbit. In 2010, NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov—who is once again in space for the 2014 tournament—cheered from the stars.
The current Expedition 40 crew also includes Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Maxim Suraev, uniting multiple nations and space agencies in a shared moment of celebration. The International Space Station, a $100 billion marvel representing 15 countries and five space agencies, has been continuously inhabited since 2000. This interstellar sports shout-out is yet another example of how space brings humanity closer—both on and off the field.
As Gerst said it best:
“Have fun and have peaceful games. May the best win.”
Source:
- https://youtu.be/Swyub0UDXUM?si=U-bJe93kCSvprPPj
- https://www.space.com/26224-world-cup-soccer-space-station-astronauts.html
- https://abcnews.go.com/International/astronauts-kick-off-2014-world-cup-soccer-game/story?id=24113393
- https://chatgpt.com/
- https://app.pictory.ai/
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