It’s good news, football fans. The World Cup is one week closer and we couldn’t be more excited about it. To celebrate this fact, we will be counting down the weeks with a series of posts for our ‘World Cup of Adventures’ where we will be highlighting the footballing chances and more importantly, what each country has to offer in the action and adventure sports department!
Having kicked things off with Group A a fortnight ago and moving on to Group B last week, can anyone guess which group we are focussing on this week? Yep, you guessed it – Group C! So, without further ado, here’s our run through of Group C – France, Australia, Peru, and Denmark.
France
One-time World Cup winners France lifted the trophy back in 1998 on their home soil. Twenty years down the line, can they do it again? This year, Les Bleus have a whole host of quality in their squad, which features big name players such as Paul Pogba, Antione Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé. If they can use their individual skills to work within a team, then France sure do have a good chance of going all the way.
But, what does a grand country such as France have on offer when it comes to adrenaline activities? Well, as you’d expect, pretty much everything you can think of. With charming coastlines, to bustling cities, to picturesque snowy mountains, France pretty much has it all. Our pick of the bunch would be paragliding in the resort of Chamonix at the foot of the highest summit in the Alps – Mont Blanc. Not only is this one of the world’s best places to ski and snowboard, but you can really let yourself go and pretend to be James Bond as you glide through this beautiful mountain range.
Australia
The Socceroos’ place in the World Cup was hard earned during qualifying, as they travelled over 250,000km around to the world to play their games. Similarly, their progression to the knockout stages of the competition will be as tough, as they are the bookmakers’ least favourite to qualify out of Group C. As reliant on 38-year old Tim Cahill as they’ve ever been, the Aussies seem to lack the depth and quality in their squad to really make an impact in this year’s tournament.
But what Australia lack in the footballing department, they certainly make up for when it comes to adrenaline activities. If you’re a fan of getting wet, then Oz is certainly the place for you. Catering for pretty much all water sports, Australia is known for its reliable surfing spots on its East coast during the summer months. What’s more, there are some fantastic kitesurfing and windsurfing spots to be found on Australia’s west coast. With over 50,000km of coastline, what are you waiting for?
Peru
Peru are back in the World Cup after a whopping 36 year absence from the big stage. With plenty of speed and tactical nous in their squad – mainly through the form of midfielder Jefferson Farfán – Peru could well the this year’s surprise package. Let’s just hope they can keep up the same exciting football that they performed during the qualifying rounds.
Peru may well be this year’s surprise team in the World Cup, but how do they fare in the action and adventure sports department? Well, with mountains and hills aplenty, it’s no surprise that adrenaline-seekers flock to Peru for their next fix of action. If you’re a fan of the saddle, then Peru really is the place to be. You can get pretty much anywhere on a bike, as dirt roads can take you up to the mountains, along the famous Inca Trails, across meadows, into the jungle and even through vast canyons. Undoubtedly, you will discover incredible scenery, ancient wonders, and spectacular wildlife along the way. Need we say any more?
Denmark
Denmark have been slowly but surely improving throughout the qualifying rounds for this year’s World Cup, with star man Christian Eriksen having scored 11 goals in only 12 matches! Not only that, but the Danish population have fell back in love with the national squad after a handful of assertive wins against Poland and Republic of Ireland during qualifying. Whether this assertion will continue in the tournament, is something we’ll have to wait to find out.
Denmark’s incredible natural land formation lends itself well to those who like to discover below ground. The Scandinavian country has some incredible abandoned mines and natural caves which are open for the public to explore – if you’re brave enough, that is! A number of open quarries and mines offer hundreds of kilometres for explorers to really get a sense of what it would have been like for the miners to have worked down there. Let’s just hope you’re not afraid of the dark!
Final Thoughts
France should be a shoe-in for the knockout rounds of the tournament, while Denmark are second favourites to progress. However, we shouldn’t dare rule out the Peruvians, as they certainly have the ammo to mount a credible attack.
Whilst each country boasts an impressive roster of adrenaline activities, we’ve got to award the prize of Group C to Peru! With totally unique scenery and a whole host of diverse terrains, it really is a place like no other. The country is steeped in history, making the Peruvian trails all the more exclusive. Australia comes in a close second, as the water babies amongst us might argue why they weren’t awarded top spot!
Well folks, unfortunately that’s it for Group C! We’ve wrapped up the talking off the pitch, but now our attention turns to the action on it. Be sure to catch the action live this summer, as the tournament officially kicks off on the 14th June. Also, be sure to look out for more updates for the rest of the World Cup groups in the coming weeks!