The World Cup has always been a cocktail of glory and chaos, but let’s not kid ourselves: mainstream media’s treatment of these monumental moments often reeks of agenda-driven storytelling. Take ESPN’s coverage of Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God.” Sure, they touted his brilliance while expertly glossing over the blatant foul. If it fits the narrative of a football god, why bother with pesky details? Meanwhile, Fox Sports spins a narrative of the U.S. struggling to keep pace while conveniently ignoring the growing fanbase and investment in the sport stateside.

Then there’s CNN, which has a love affair with highlighting controversies like the Qatar 2022 bidding process. Did they ever consider the long-lasting effects on teams beyond that? Of course not! They’d rather whip up a scandal than discuss how those events influence grassroots football programs or local economies. It’s all about scandal, not substance.

The hypocrisy is stunning—media outlets eagerly showcase fan rage over questionable VAR calls, but when fans rally together in pure ecstasy during a national goal, it’s barely a footnote. ESPN, Fox, and CNN focus their lenses differently, lazy in their quest for clicks over context. The sport deserves a richer narrative than mere clickbait.