Ten years ago (!) I wrote a series of short poems throughout several World Cup roleplay threads called "Football Basics With Links." I used a style I enjoy called a "lipogram"--skipping the letter "E," which is the most common in English. I thought I'd update this series for this event, celebrating teams new (and old) that have stood out in the intervening years. Some have CTEd, some are still participating, all have made an impact. (Sorry to those I couldn't squeeze in!) Feel free to ask for the story behind the story, and I'll try to be more verbose.

A is for Audioslavia
A nation that's full
Of many good narrations
Most of which isn't bull.

B is for Bostopia.
Yup, I'm thinking of
A way to run away, Fušia
Jimmy doing it, bruv.

C is for Cassadaigua.
Champions in pink.
If you don't trust a woman's skill,
You don't know what to hink.

D is for Dancougar
And dorks such as Russ.
His silly allusions
Brought humor to us.

CT* is for vanish.
Flags may turn gray
But also turn colorful
On a forthcoming day.

F is for Fušia Oujadda,
An urchin and host
And warrior that took down
A tyrant to disdain most.

G is for God
Or G is for gods.
Saints or mystic probability
Always playing with odds.

H is for han'il!
Onwards is our song!
Forging words in conlangs
Is a fun hobby, not wrong.

I is for Islands, polar.
Following many a loss,
This country and its balls
Put away its albatross.

J is for journalism
And for pundits who scoff
At mortality or tact.
C.f. Jaffa's sign-off.

K is for Kura,
Just half of a land
In which both its football
And music was grand.

L is for Lyndon.
How important is sports
If managing Rushmori
Farming imports?

M is for Mytannion
Cycling, all should try it.
And also throw sparks
Until you start a riot.

N is for NSWC Signups.
No raging tinpot
Dictators could stand up to
Its mighty kumquat.

O is for an Olympic stadium.
A tour it's not
But still an imposing
And inspiring spot.

P is for paradystopia
With pronunciation as quirky
As humor bouncing off
All walls dark and murky.

Q is for dust
With a mascot of things.
Proud anti-monarchists
With skill worthy of kings.

R is for random stuff
For good or ill
Luck has its final word
And always works its will.

S is for a scout
Who would fill many ranks
Of CCFM squads
And also many banks.

T is for TakilQuip
Which first did build up
What's now known today
As a Champions' Cup.

U is for Urk
And shoutouts to a past
Full of continuity nods
And history that will last.

V is for Vilita
(But not for Turori),
Our champions right now,
Holding on to glory.

W is for WAFL,
Which would start aspirations
For a pair of minor
Footballing nations.

X is for xkora!
A goal from which you
Can run football programs
And distinct sports too.

Y is for Yafor 2
Fond of abstract stats
Involving balls that got
Hit off of bats.

Z is for Ziggurat
In which, it is told,
A fish is still shining,
A haddock of gold.