July 10 (Reuters) - For four weeks, fans young and old have painted their faces, donned their national colours, roared their support in stadiums and fan zones and ridden the wave of emotions only a World Cup can bring. But this one has been bigger than ever before, bringing more teams and supporters to the mix, and pitting them in nail-biting encounters that have created new heroes and fresh milestones for well-loved stars.
Welcome to the World Cup as experienced through its most devoted fans.
SHOW
YOUR TRUE COLOURS
In stadiums across the United States, Canada and Mexico the energy and excitement of fans conjured carnival-like atmospheres and brought swathes of vivid colour to host cities: the orange of the Dutch and Ivory Coast, the green of Mexico, the blue of Japan and Curaçao, and the yellow of Brazil and Ecuador.
At home, those who couldn't be there in person followed the action on massive open-air screens and at watch parties, clutching flags to their faces when it all got too much. Their eyes say it all. Children and adults alike cheered wildly, or needed to be consoled.
No matter if your team wasn't competing. India has never played in a World Cup, but in Kolkata, the hub of Indian soccer, locals transformed a lane into a dazzling 'FIFA Gully', celebrating Argentina's Lionel Messi, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil's Neymar.
SHARING TRADITIONS WITH THE HOSTS
In Miami, Argentines set up an "asado" — meat slowly roasted over a wood fire. In Sam Navarro's picture, a hunk of beef mirrors the shape of the World Cup trophy held aloft by Messi on the banner behind.
Swedish fans in Texas couldn't go without their traditional Midsummer festivities, so celebrated in a pool, though without a maypole.
Scotland fans arrived in kilts and bearing bagpipes — to the delight of their hosts — and Norway supporters introduced the world to their exhilarating Viking Row celebration.
Fans of Japan again left the stands completely spotless with their practice of gomi hiroi, reflecting their sense of responsibility for shared spaces. The blue bags they used to collect litter doubled as atmospheric lampshades they waved during the matches.
NEW TALENTS
Soccer fans the world over delighted in Cape Verde's sensational run at their debut World Cup. They took the team from the West African nation — a collection of 10 volcanic islands with a population of some 500,000 — into their hearts.
From their opening draw against Spain to their heartbreaking 3-2 knockout loss to Argentina, the "Blue Sharks" frustrated some of the world’s best strikers and showed off some scoring flair of their own, pushing Messi's team into extra time.
Thousands of flag-waving fans gathered in Cape Verde's capital to welcome the team home, mobbing the players as they left the airport.
OLD MASTERS
Messi and Ronaldo — both at a record sixth World Cup — have defined an era.
Argentina's talismanic captain, now 39, has played 31 matches and scored 21 goals in the tournament — more than any other player. No wonder football-lovers want to celebrate Messi every way they can, and not just in Argentina.
In the Czech Republic, 51-year-old Miloslav "Curby" Urbanec wears Messi-themed socks and has transformed his car into a blue-and-white celebration of Argentine soccer. In Texas, a dog wearing a Messi shirt accompanies Argentina fans.
Ronaldo spent more than two decades deciding matches and dragging Portugal through difficult moments. But the one prize that always slipped through his grasp — the World Cup trophy — remained out of reach again, as the 41-year-old bowed out with tears in his eyes. Fans cried too, as they bid farewell to one of the greats of the game.
A MONTH TO REMEMBER
As the tournament is pared down to the final knockout stages, many teams have already departed and their fans have returned home. But they take with them lasting memories of the warm welcome, the chants and the music, friendships made and matches agonisingly lost in a game's dying minutes. For a month they shared a global experience, and lived out the thrill of the beautiful game.
(Writing by Alexandra Hudson, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
