According to Wikipedia, sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. So, sport is the world’s hobby. Almost every single person in the world enjoys it. As the wise man said “Many men, many minds”, there are hundreds of sports in the world. Each and every one of them is loved, played and enjoyed by hundreds of people. However, there is one sport that stands out more than others. It’s not only the most popular sport in the world but also one of the oldest sports in history; and that is Football, Association football to be exact. Most commonly known as, Soccer.
Soccer is undoubtedly the most beloved sports of humanity. Approximately 250 million players in over 200 countries and dependencies play it. The World Cup Tournament that is organized by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is the most prestigious football tournament in the world as well as the most viewed and followed sporting event in the world, exceeding the Olympic Games. Technically, the whole world plays football. ‘But why’ some may ask. This is something that can come to the mind of any non-soccer fan. Why people love soccer so much? When there are so many good sports like Basketball, Volleyball, Hockey, Tennis, Cricket etc. What’s so special about soccer? As a football fan myself, I’ll try to answer this question. Here are some reasons why we love football so much.
This may seem a bit far-fetched to non-soccer fans but fans of the game will understand. Soccer is an artistic sport, a living game. At the start, all the player stands at their designated positions. A state of poise and excitement at the same time. Then the game starts and all hell breaks loose! Someone scores and everyone cheers. Then again, everyone returns to their position, with serenity and intensity. This mix of calm and chaos makes soccer unique and special.
As stated before, almost all the countries in the world support football. Therefore, it’s no surprise that there are 211 football teams in FIFA. During a tournament, people come together to watch the match. The stadium gets packed with fans of all ages. They cheer, cry and rally their favorite team to victory. Even family members who aren’t exactly on the best terms with each other can bond over a soccer match. New friends are made in the gallery. Old and new rivals are battled against. After the match, everyone is filled with the feeling of athleticism, fulfillment and in half cases, bitter taste.
Like most competitive sports, two teams play against each other in a soccer match. There can be 11 active players in the field for one team at a time. There can be three substitutes outside the field. Nevertheless, in reality, we are all players. Of course, we don’t jump to the field in the middle of the game but when our team gets the ball or our favorite player gets it, it’s like we are the one who got the ball. We can feel the grass beneath the player’s feet, we can feel the ball. We feel the pressure, we feel the rush, we sweat and we feel the satisfaction of a goal and the pain of a miss. Football takes the spectators and throws their consciousness into the minds of the players. It gets the viewers invested in the game and we love it.
This is maybe the most important reason and also the most simple reason as to why we love football so much. It is just so fun and enjoyable! For the players, the spectators, the announcers, the organizers and anyone close to the field. Even for the people who couldn’t come to the field. They watch the game on TV in their home with their family and friends and loved ones.
Football unites us all regarding our age, gender or any other criteria. Even when someone can’t attend a game they can still stay up to date using sites like topscorersfootball.com, and keep track of the famous and popular leagues and their scores 24/7. It’s the number one sport in the world.
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