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The Olympics and the World Cup are arguably the two greatest sporting occasions on the planet. What makes them so special is that they only come 'round once every four years, but there are a great deal of differences among these two giant competitions.
In the grand scheme of things, the simple fact is this: the Olympic Games mean way more to athletes than the World Cup does to footballers. Now, that wasn't always the case, but over time it has certainly developed into being that way, and it isn't really a surprise.
First things first, all you need to do is look at the time scale. In between the Olympics, there isn't a whole lot to shout about for athletes in terms of prizes. Sure they have national and world events, but nothing even comes close to the Games. Meanwhile, in terms of soccer there are yearly competitions that have a great deal of buzz and hype around them.
The Premier League and Champions League are both shining examples of that, and it's led to a serious decrease in the importance surrounding the greatest stage in world spccer.
Then there's money. Although it shouldn't be too much of an issue, let's face it, it always will be. Footballers are paid ludicrous amounts of money, and winning or losing big competitions doesn't matter in comparison to their paychecks. They are going to be awarded big money regardless.
But picking up the big bucks is something that is more of a task for Olympic stars. Acquiring that gold medal could open the door to so many different avenues for them and their families, meanwhile there is no real motivation for footballers to go that extra mile on the pitch.
Also, historically, you have to say that the Olympics are much more prestigious than the World Cup. Some of the figures that have competed over the years speak for themselves, and it's so much more than just a few sports here and there, it's a wide range of nations and events coming together as one to celebrate the unity and grandeur that sport can bring to the world.
The Olympics help people forget about their troubles for two weeks every four years. Meanwhile, the World Cup goes a long way to causing more stress. The athletes involved train four years for this sole purpose, and footballers train every day for a range of alternative motives. Whichever way you slice it, the facts are there for everyone to see.
