Lies Vandenberghe on exhausted kids and secret World Cup viewings

Sport anchor Lies Vandenberghe writes for VTM on 26 June 2026 about the fatigue she sees at school gates as the World Cup enters its second week, noting that children are exhausted from heat, end‑of‑year exams and the lure of live matches.

The children’s tiredness is linked not only to the summer heat and the end of the school year but also to the tournament’s schedule. A seven‑ or ten‑year‑old struggles to go to bed when Lamine Yamal or Lionel Messi still have to kick off. Parents find bedtime negotiations turning into a race to catch the next kickoff.

When the Red Devils play, a normal evening routine becomes a negotiation over thirst, bathroom breaks and even a missing favourite plush toy. The following morning the kids fall asleep in class, eyes small, yet they recount big stories about a save or a missed penalty.

Eden Hazard recalled that during the 1998 World Cup, at seven years old, he secretly kept watching the television. He said, “Vaak moesten we naar bed als het rust was, of soms nog eerder”. He added, “Ik probeerde dan door het sleutelgat verder te kijken.” The door opened and, “Bam! Tegen zijn neus. Betrapt.”

Across the globe, boys and girls in pajamas prefer to watch one more half than to go to sleep, a habit teachers may view less romantically. At home, children ask questions such as “Where is Iran actually?” and “Why do some supporters feel unwelcome in America?”. Others wonder about the giant McDonald’s logo beside the field and why everyone suddenly supports Argentina.

The Red Devils’ kickoff on Saturday at 5 o’clock aligns perfectly with the biological clock of some children, or at least with Vandenberghe’s own routine. Parents may curse an early‑morning child at the bedside, but that is part of the World Cup experience.