A Golden Goal for Kids

The World Cup in Brazil is now well underway and for the next month, it seems, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq and the South China Sea will all be pushed to the side as even the most level-headed, staid citizens join the passionate wave of popular support for their favorite soccer teams. Despite the angst about Brazil’s ability to pull it off, initial returns are in and Brazilians have already received high marks as hosts, while teams from the Americas — including the United States — have impressed on the pitch. With more than one week concluded on the tournament schedule, many of the pre-tournament complaints about overspending, unrealized development promises, corruption and crime have generally been forgotten.

That’s not to say those issues have gone away. After the party concludes, there may be quite a hangover as observers and, more importantly, Brazilians themselves, evaluate whether the effort was worth the cost. With presidential elections slated for October, they will have a chance to register their decision at the polls....

Read the full article in U.S. News & World Report's online opinion section.