With six days left until the World Cup, this weekend is really the time to hit the grocery store and make sure you pick up all your World Cup party food.
At least some of us will be able to host parties this World Cup given the time zone. That wasn't the case for Portland Timbers star Diego Valeri back in 1994, when he was in school for his favorite moment during that US tournament:
My favorite game was the first game of Argentina in the World Cup in 1994 here in the USA. Because we had a great team with [Diego] Maradona and [Claudio] Caniggia. That first game with Greece, 4-0, Maradona scored. It was amazing.
Everybody was screaming and happy because Maradona is very important in Argentina. And with the score, 4-0, it was a great game. In Argentina every World Cup, the whole country is watching. We stop the classes, like a holiday.
I was eight years old and I was watching the game at school because in Argentina it was noon. We stopped the classes and we watched the game in the cafeteria. That was nice.
I modeled my game after [Argentine midfielder] Fernando Redondo. I always like quality players, technical players.
The next games [for Argentina in '94] were not good, not very good. The next game with Nigeria [a 2-1 win] I remember, but it was a little bit different. But then the national team didn’t do very well [in losing to Romania in their first knockout game].
WORLD CUP MEMORIES:
Alexi Lalas: Legend's all-time favorite moment was a hand ball
Clint Dempsey: Childhood dreams come true with a single goal
Bruce Arena: First World Cup game? Only one of the biggest upsets in history
Landon Donovan: Baggio's missed PK in '94 leaves profound impact on US great
Kyle Beckerman: The Saudi Arabian who inspired RSL's World Cup hopeful
Jason deVos: 1986ers pave the way for future Canadian national team star
Will Johnson: Timbers captain experiences agony and ecstasy in 120 minutes in 1998
Michael Bradley: The miracle comeback that he helped author in South Africa 2010
Carlos Valderrama: The goal that brings goosebumps to every Colombian
Clint Mathis: The Mohawk and the Red Sea in South Korea
Robbie Keane: Lady Luck shines on Republic of Ireland in 2002
Tim Cahill: RBNY star goes down in the history books in 2006
Grant Wahl: How the 1998 final shaped a Sports Illustrated writer's career
Jermain Defoe: Consolation for not making it to Brazil? His goal in 2010
Nick Rimando: RSL 'keeper fulfills a dream hatched in Pasadena in 1994
Peter Vermes: Sporting KC boss lived the greatest World Cup atmosphere
Matt Besler: The chills and thrill of Landon Donovan's Algeria goal
Mike Magee: Best World Cup PK ever taken? Of course, it was Zizou
Gregg Berhalter: The greatest goal you've probably never seen
Javier Morales: The World Cup-winning goal he couldn't bare to watch
Julio Cesar: Can Toronto FC 'keeper emulate his childhood hero in Brazil?
Brian McBride: Awkward excitment -- the flying hug between Reyna and McBride
Thierry Henry: When breaking things was permitted in the Henry household
Jesse Marsch: Go on the US bench for Donovan's Algeria game-winner
Claudio Reyna: US legend explains why they call it the Goal of the Century
