MC students tuned in for the World Cup this summer, finding unity over shared passions

By Abby Haney | Sept. 15, 2026

After months of tuning into games, the 2026 World Cup came to a close with Argentina and Spain meeting in the final. Spain dominated the match, winning 1-0. Fans celebrated alongside the team, and at Maryville, many watched excitedly throughout the tournament. 

Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams watched the games, but unlike other fans, they see the sport through a different lens. Their experience playing gives them a deeper understanding of the game’s principles. 

“Everyone you know is watching it, and everyone thinks they know what’s happening,” Ethan Denney (’28) said. Denney plays forward on the men’s soccer team. “I think I definitely watch it a little bit differently… as a collegiate soccer player, I just know more ball.”

Denney watched Spain defeat Belgium 2-1 in the quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. He said the fans’ positivity stood out, no matter which team they supported.

“I was wearing a Spain jersey. I went over to Belgium’s fan festival, and it was all Belgian fans, and no one cared. Everyone was super nice,” Denney said. He also attended the Spain vs. Argentina final at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Although he wore an Argentina jersey there, fans remained welcoming toward him.

While many watched matches on television, being there in person is a unique experience. Denney said no outside noise pulls your attention from the game, so you notice every minute.

“I tuned in [for] every second. You’re not missing a play. On TV, you might check your phone, see what’s happening, or get a notification from the apps you follow,” Denney said. “When you’re in there, it’s just a different experience.” 

While Maryville College soccer teams enjoyed the games with unique insight, many others at Maryville had memorable experiences as well. International students especially found enjoyment in watching the World Cup. Soccer connects people, and for Gabriel Villalonga Serra (’27), it brings enjoyment for him and his friends. 

“People really get into it when seeing a soccer game… and it brings people together. I usually like to go and watch the games with my friends,” Villalonga Serra said. He is on the men’s tennis team for Maryville and is from Mallorca, Spain. 

Throughout the tournament, several controversial calls left fans with mixed feelings about the teams in the final. In the end, though, the final was fairly played. Villalonga Serra described how that fairness affected his emotions after the win.

“I was surprised. I was excited. I was happy, and a little relieved because I play sports and I want to see fair play in any sport. I saw that at some games I didn’t see fair play, and they won the final very fairly, in my opinion,” Villalonga Serra said. 

Villalonga Serra usually watches only the final, but this year was different. He and his friends celebrated the game along with a friend’s birthday. He said he doesn’t normally watch every match, just the important ones.

“I like to watch soccer, but just the important stuff, like champions or World Cup or stuff like that and I don’t know why in this World Cup I liked [watching] the games from the start,” Villalonga Serra said. 

The World Cup is more than weeks of soccer. It’s an opportunity to cheer for your country and find connections with others. One example that went viral on social media was the Scottish fans in Boston. Scotland’s supporters, known as the Tartan Army, have a tradition of placing plastic traffic cones on landmarks. The gesture, a touch of home, brought Boston and the Scottish fans together.

In Maryville, Boston and across the world, many people, including Denney and Villalonga Serra, found joy in watching the games.