This World Cup took hold across the country (and the continent), converting the disinterested into curious, casual fans into serious fans and reaffirming true believers' love for the sport.

After 39 days and 104 matches, the World Cup has come to an end. No more videos of Scottish fans putting traffic cones on statues and taking over baseball stadiums. No more clips of fans in tears of joy over what they just witnessed.

The World Cup is officially over and it's time to provide some final grades to some of the teams and people who became household names in North America.

Boston bars saw a 28% jump in transactions, Airbnb revenue climbed 27%, hotel rates surged, and the MBTA set ridership records during the FIFA World Cup. The post Was the World Cup worth it? Early data suggest Boston’s bet is paying off.

The World Cup has always been a stage on which to build a career.