A little fantasy never hurt anyone, especially when that fantasy goes in search of solutions to intractable problems and dilemmas that have plagued humanity since it first came into the light of existence.
These 48 nations face one another over the course of roughly a month, on ground that is far from neutral, playing their heated matches before millions of supporters — some cheering out of love, others out of spite for the opposing side.
They play, manoeuvre, attack and defend. Some score goals in the opponent's net; others fail to do so. Some secure brilliant victories; others suffer heavy defeats and bitter disappointment.
Voices rise from the battlefield accusing the referee of bias, calling on the VAR official to review a decision, or demanding a neutral committee adjudicate a disputed goal or a contentious penalty kick.
Cries of fury ring out condemning the referee's actions, while chants of joy ring out praising his decisions. Analysts and experts compete to dissect, interpret and rebut yesterday's