Football fans' expectations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup
CGTN
["china"]
01:06
The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicks off Thursday. Despite the fact that China’s team is not part of the game, football fans here will no doubt be watching. So what are they hoping for, and what will fans need to enjoy the games? CGTN hit the streets to find out.
Da Jiale, a Beijing resident, a huge football fan. /CGTN Photo

Da Jiale, a Beijing resident, a huge football fan. /CGTN Photo

Most of the fans would like to hang out with their friends and watch the games with a beer in their local bars. 
Like resident Da Jiale said, he usually goes to a BBQ bar or a football themed bar with his buddies, and they can watch the games while having a drink. 
But some female fans like Li Qinxue prefer to go to the public to watch the games, not only because they don’t understand the game rules very much, but also she can choose a team with the people who watch games in the bars and enjoy the atmosphere better. 
Li Qinxue: "I enjoy the games with beer, popcorn and peanuts." /CGTN Photo

Li Qinxue: "I enjoy the games with beer, popcorn and peanuts." /CGTN Photo

However, some people prefer to watch the games with their families, like Wang Yan, whose mum is also a football fan.
Luckily, the 2018 World Cup is being held in Russia, the time difference is not so large, meaning she can keep her mum company and watch most games with her at home. 
Graduate student Jiang Bochen in Beijing said his favorite player is Messi. /CGTN Photo

Graduate student Jiang Bochen in Beijing said his favorite player is Messi. /CGTN Photo

People are also choosing which team to support for different reasons. 
For male fans, almost all of them support big teams like Argentina or Brazil with lots famous players. A graduate student named Jiang Bochen said Lionel Messi is his favorite player. Jiang watched his documentary once, and thinks he’s awesome because he’s been striving very hard in his career and become successful, even though he has no height advantage. 
But for most female fans, they usually choose their teams by following their hearts, sometimes because the players are hot or their cute personalities. Like Wang Yan said, she likes James Rodriguez not only because he has a lot of football potential, but also because sometimes he cries after wins, or even losses, which makes her think he’s a sensitive guy and very cute. So this year she will support his country, Colombia. 
No matter where they choose to watch the games and  which team they think is the most powerful, this summer is definitely going to be exciting and unforgettable for football fans.