Every four years, when the World Cup rolls around, we’re treated to more than just the biggest spectacle in sports—we get a whole wave of new additions that come with it. There are new mascots (from England’s World Cup Willie in 1966 to France’s ...

I have not historically cared about soccer, but after spending a week in Italy—where World Cup excitement is already at a fever pitch, several weeks before the tournament officially begins on June 11—I have to admit that watching a match in a packed ...