World Cup fever hits the ISS: Astronauts show off their microgravity football skills in SPACE
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As Brazil gears up for the World Cup this evening, 230 miles above Earth, astronauts are having their own microgravity kick-about.
U.S. astronauts Reid Wiseman and Steve Swanson, and German astronaut Alexander Gerst, will be watching the action from aboard the International Space Station.
And to celebrate the opening ceremony, the three astronauts showed off their microgravity football skills by performing impressive bicycle kicks, spins and somersaults while kicking a ball.
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Astronaut Steve Swanson attempts to kick the ball, but Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst is able to get to it before Swanson has the chance
The weightless movement of the astronauts is because they are in a continuous state of freefall, resulting in several amusing, slow-motion attempts at tackling their crewmates.
The astronaut also sent down a special message to all the players and teams as they compete in World Cup 2014 which kicks off in Sao Paulo today and finishes on July 13.
From left, Expedition 40 Commander Steve Swanson and Flight Engineers Alexander Gerst and Reid Wiseman wish football fans and the World Cup 2014 'peaceful games'
The weightless movement of the astronauts is because they are in a continuous state of freefall, resulting in several amusing, slow-motion attempts at kicking the ball
Gerst said: 'We want to wish all the teams and fans on the ground and in Brazil a great World Cup Have fun and have peaceful games. May the best win and viel Glück.'
The astronauts have trained for years to work together as a unified crew, but the U.S. astronauts and their German crewmate are feeling a little friendly competition.
Their home countries will play against each other for a chance to advance out of Group G of the World Cup matches.
USA and Germany face off on June 26 at Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil.
This isn't the first time a sporting event has been broadcast in space. The Super Bowl XLVIII was recently viewed aboard the ISS with Nasa astronauts supporting the Denver Broncos.
While the crew members of the ISS are unable to watch the World Cup games live, Nasa said it will upload the matches shortly after they are broadcast on terrestrial TV.
Reid Wiseman, of Nasa, and Alexander Gerst, of the European Space Agency, arrived at the space station on May 28 as part of the Expedition 40/41 crew.
They are scheduled to spend the next several months living and working in space until they return to Earth in November 2014.
Steven Swanson arrived as part of the Expedition 39/40 crew on March 25 and is expected to return home in September 2014.
The astronauts have trained for years to work together as a unified crew, but the U.S. astronauts (pictured) and their German crewmate are feeling a little friendly competition
The astronaut's sent down a special message to all the players and teams as they compete in World Cup 2014 which kicks off in Sao Paulo today and finishes on July 13. Pictured is a Brazilian fan at the opening ceremony
The International Space Station's length and width is about the size of a football field. While the crew members of the ISS are unable to watch the World Cup games live, Nasa said it will upload the matches shortly after they broadcast on terrestrial TV
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