Why Futbol?
Internationally, fútbol is the largest and most beloved source of entertainment. Seemingly, this round balled game is broadcasted on every square inch of the globe. No sporting event or entertainment quite draws as much attention as futbol matches do. In every continent, country, and nearly every city, we can find some mark of the game. But, why do so many relate to and passionately care about this ball being kicked across a 120­yard field? For the majority of the world, it infiltrates their every facet of culture. It's more than just a game. For the fans and spectators, it's a way of life; for the global economy, it's a multi­billion dollar industry and revenue stream. Nothing brings more people together under one unanimous vision like futbol. No where else can one find seventy­thousand screaming fans in one place. For ninety minutes straight, these fans chant and root for their favorite club to even score one goal. But so many times, the matches end scoreless. At any given time, there are 100+ professional matches around the world with stadium filled crowds giving their all for their team (Shaughnessy). From the English Premiership to the US MLS, this game is larger than life...everywhere. Futbol is so globally popular because of its simplicity and accessibility. The name says it all ­­ a game that is played primarily with one’s feet. Although there is plenty of strategy and skill, the game is very simple to learn and play. It doesn’t take much to learn the essential rules and basics of the sport. Other than the offside rule, there is really little room for confusion. American football is a much more

complex game, having dozens of penalties and hundreds of regulations. Futbol, however, has only only a few guidelines for the game; it’s so attainable, playable, and watchable. While many sports are stop­start and pause frequently, futbol is completely fluid. The clock never stops; so, the action does not either. That aspect is very appealing to many players and spectators. Rather to many other sports, the game does not take much to play. Futbol players come in all shapes and sizes. They do not need the physical strength of football players or the height of basketball players. Athleticism is, of course, essential, but a player does not need to be physically dominating to succeed at the sport. Icons like David Beckham and Lionel Messi rely on skill and creativity rather than strength and physical stature. Really, anyone can play futbol; well, anyone with two feet. The lack of physical requirements make the sport very inclusive to the big, small, men, and women. The game is also very inexpensive and requires little equipment or maintenance. Excluding competitive safety accessories, all that is necessary for a player is a ball and cleats. In a word, soccer is accessible. A fundamental reason for its widespread adoration is how frequently the game is played. Most (all) sports have an off­season, but futbol...no. There is never a dull moment for futbol fans. There’s a league season, a league cup, club championship, and international games. Most of these are overlapping in some fashion. Also, there are friendly international matches occurring all around the world around the same time. The sport never really ends; so, I guess interest cannot either. Sportsmanship and respect also play a large aspect into the game. The game is built around players who truly love it and respect each other's talents. This can be seen in the exchanging of jerseys by opposing teams after a match. Where does this global pride and interest derive from? As much revenue and entertainment is peaked from regular season club games, nothing compares to the international camaraderie induced by

intercontinental play. No other team sport really goes global like futbol. It’s an international language that crosses cultural barriers and country borders. Though we earn our national pride from some of our natives swimming in the Olympic games, the world loves to see a team work together to make their country or city proud. Through tournaments like UEFA and the FIFA World Cup, the universe seems to halt to watch their team on the world's largest stages. Every four years, the FIFA organization regulates and hosts the World Cup. Every incarnation of this event seems to grow larger and larger. Every involved and even uninvolved nation's interest is peaked in the heat of the tournament. One can really see the sport as it organically grows and expands forward. Perhaps the best example of this growth can be seen in United States. In years past, the US has been impartial to the world’s largest game. The United States tended to have the reputation of being nonchalant about futbol, but this year, something special happened. The American team advanced to the round of 16 for the first time in 12 years. All of the sudden, we saw businesses shut down for matches and Americans huddled around televisions in sports bars. 24.7 million Americans watched the USA play Portugal (FIFA). If this is not evidence of a unifying game, I’m not sure what is. The official FIFA attendance was 3,429,873, and the FIFA Global Stadium exceeded 1 billion (FIFA). For FIFA and futbol, this is a 4% increase in physical attendance and an incomprehensible increase in the global audience from 2010 (FIFA). Around the world, the players of the game are perceived as next to gods. While similar phenomenon occur in all sports and entertainment, there's nothing quite the same as the pedestal these athletes are placed on. Consider a timeless American athlete like Michael Jordan or the famous Indian cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar. Place either of those beside Cristiano Ronaldo, and more of the world will be familiar with the famous Portugal striker. It's not to say that futbol is more interesting than basketball

or cricket. In fact, both of those have much more strategy. It is to say, however, that no other sport captures the attention and emotions of as many people. And due to its massive popularity, these soccer stars like Ronaldo and Neymar Jr. have become international celebrities. For so many, the game is the glue that equalizes their social statuses. Futbol is really the essence of all society; it’s the human dream. It’s the hope of a better life while in tandem making your country and its citizens proud. That’s really the beauty of this game. There is no one team or player that dominates. Any player could score, and any team could win. It includes any person and every player. It’s the squad with the most heart and skill that wins, not the one with the most money and biggest franchise. That chance, that opportunity keeps fans from around the globe coming back for more. Futbol surprises you. And, it’s evident that this dream is growing bigger and bigger. FIFA’s recent Big Count survey says that there are some 256 million players worldwide (FIFA). That is roughly 4% of the world’s population. On top of that, the fans are 3 billion strong. So, let hope and camaraderie rise to the nations. No other sport or entertainment will ever globally cross status lines and cultural barriers. Futbol is an international equalizer. Works Cited "Attendance in FIFA's Global Stadium Exceeds 1 Billion Fans." FIFA.com. FIFA, 14 July 2014. Web. 16 July 2014.

Kruschewsky, Gabriela. "Wake Up, America." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 14 May 2014. Web. 16 July 2014. Shaughnessy, Daniel. "Ignoring the World Cup." BostonGlobe.com. The Boston Globe, 22 June 2014. Web. 17 July 2014.