Often as not, Google's home page is populated with an interesting or interactive Google Doodle.
These range from quirky interactive games to celebrations of historical figures. Today's Google Doodle marks the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Here it is:
This isn't the first soccer Doodle Google has put out. The search giant released a Soccer Google Doodle mini-game that let you play as the goalie against an AI kicker.
While this is (sadly) not a diverting mini-game, it's still a good-looking Doodle. It's also just the beginning. Google will release a new Google Doodle every single day of the tournament from June 14th to July 15th when the World Cup ends.
A total of 32 teams from around the globe will compete over the next month, with the first game, between Russia and Saudi Arabia, kicking off Thursday morning.
32 different artists from each of the competing nations will contribute Google Doodles over the course of the next few weeks, with all 32 artists collaborating on this first entry.
Clicking on the Doodle will take you to a schedule of upcoming games. Scroll down and you'll find current news stories and other relevant information.
While it may not be the soccer mini-game we wanted, it is cool that this Doodle is basically the 'It's A Small World' ride out of Disney Land showcasing a diverse cast united by a shared excitement for the upcoming tournament. Football/soccer is a truly international sport.
Football isn't the only sport hosting a World Cup these days, however. Mega-video game Fortnite just introduced new World Cup soccer cosmetics into the game alongside its very own competitive Fortnite World Cup which begins later this year.
