World Cup brings back special memories

This FIFA World Cup will be a little less thrilling for me this year because the three teams I usually root for - the United States, Italy and Ireland - didn't qualify.

But of course I'll still watch the matches, which kicked off on Thursday in Russia, because there's really not another sporting event that creates so much vivid excitement.

China - despite spending billions on its own professional league, coaches and foreign players, and with its business titans buying top-flight professional clubs around the world - will be watching from home, too.