LEXI RINGGOLD: This is Lexi Ringgold.

LAYLA WARD: And Layla Ward.

LEXI RINGGOLD: –with EagleAir TV.

LAYLA WARD: We interviewed students on the FIFA World Cup.

LEXI RINGGOLD: We asked who their favorite player was and who they predicted to win. FIFA World Cup started in 1930 and has gone on every four years since then, with 32 teams that could qualify.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

LAYLA WARD: What’s your name and grade?

STUDENT: Hillary Estes. I’m a senior.

LAYLA WARD: Who’s your favorite soccer player?

STUDENT: Robert Lewandowski.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

STUDENT: Emma Dixon, freshmen.

LAYLA WARD: Who do you think is going to win this year?

STUDENT: Argentina.

LAYLA WARD: Do you have a favorite player?

STUDENT: Messi.

STUDENT: I’m Hudson Angel. I’m a freshman.

LAYLA WARD: Who do you think will win the World Cup this year?

STUDENT: I hope the USA wins the World Cup. But it’s probably going to be Brazil again.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

STUDENT: Paige Pearcy, junior.

LEXI RINGGOLD: Who’s your favorite soccer player?

STUDENT: Christian Pulisic.

STUDENT: Alyssa Grabill, and I’m a freshman.

LAYLA WARD: Who’s your favorite player?

STUDENT: Jude Bellingham.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

LAYLA WARD: Which one of these teams that’s in the knockout round do you think will win?

STUDENT: Probably Brazil.

STUDENT: I’m Jackson Edwards, and I’m in 11th grade.

LEXI RINGGOLD: Who do you think is going to win the World Cup?

STUDENT: Portugal.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

STUDENT: Addie O’Connell, freshman.

LAYLA WARD: Who is your favorite soccer player playing in the World Cup?

STUDENT: Neymar.

STUDENT: My name is Olivia Reed, and I’m a freshman.

LAYLA WARD: What team do you think is going to win the World Cup?

STUDENT: I don’t know. I’m not watching it.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

STUDENT: Peyton Burbridge, ninth grade.

LAYLA WARD: Who do you think will win the World Cup this year?

STUDENT: Brazil.

TEACHER 1: Kathy Eck. I am a social studies teacher.

LAYLA WARD: Who do you think will win the World Cup this year?

TEACHER 1: I think Portugal will win the World Cup.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

TEACHER 2: My name is Evan Palmer. I’m a teacher here at the high school and soccer coach.

LAYLA WARD: OK, who do you think is going to win the World Cup this year, and who’s your favorite player?

TEACHER 2: I think Brazil I think has the best team right now. I think they’ll win it. And my favorite player, best player, my favorite of all time is Messi, and he’s still really good. But probably the best player right now at the Cup might be Mbappe for France.

LAYLA WARD: And then what do you think has been the biggest upset so far?

TEACHER 2: Well, I think what Morocco did to get to the quarterfinals was pretty amazing. Japan, winning their group was a cool thing too, to see. But whoever makes it the furthest right now, Morocco. No one picked them.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

LAYLA WARD: The eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals are the Netherlands, Argentina, France, England, Croatia, Brazil, Morocco, and Portugal.

LEXI RINGGOLD: Many people wanted the US to win, but unfortunately, they fell short in the knockout round. Other students believed it would be Argentina or Brazil to be winning this year’s World Cup.

LAYLA WARD: Thanks for listening. This is Lexi and Layla signing off.