CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — World Cup fever is building across Corpus Christi, and all it takes is a soccer ball to bring out the love for the game.
With less than two weeks until FIFA World Cup 2026, the excitement is already being felt across South Texas — even for those who won't be able to attend matches in person.
I took a soccer ball to the streets to see who's ready, and fans were quick to show off their skills and their team loyalty.
When asked the ultimate soccer debate — Messi or Ronaldo — answers came fast.
"Ronaldo," said one community member.
"Messi," said another.
"Messi," said one man.
"Messi. I guess I'll go Ronaldo; we are opposites," said a woman.
"We gotta go Messi, Messi yeah, I have his jersey."
And when it came to picking a team to root for, South Texas fans made their allegiances clear.
"USA of course! Nobody else but America's team."
"I was born in England so that's my national team, but I love the US so."
"Mexico."
"I'm going for Mexico. Mexico all the way! Yo soy de Piedras Negras, I'm all for Mexico."
For many, the World Cup is already here — in the streets, the parks, and in every person who grew up with the sport.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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