Soccer is the world’s most beloved pastime, with billions of fans from across the globe following their favourite players and teams every day. There are few other international games that come quite as close to soccer in terms of sheer popularity, and while it might seem a bit strange that soccer even outshines games like rugby or cricket, there are a few very good reasons as to why.
The Cost
At its core, soccer involves a team of players trying their best to get the ball into one another’s nets. Its simplicity is what makes it so enduring, and allows people from every walk of life to enjoy it, no matter how rich or poor they are. It’s easy enough to find a large piece of land to play soccer, while also putting up the scoring posts takes no more than a few minutes. On top of this, soccer balls are widely available, and are durable enough that even one should last a few years if looked after.
Focused On The Player
Many other sports focuses on the teams that participate in them, and while this isn’t inherently a bad thing by any means, it does break the immersion that fans get when they enjoy a game of soccer and follow a specific player.
This also changes the nature of the strategies that are used in the game. In American football, for example, a coach will provide the team with instructions on how to proceed. In European soccer, a player’s action are almost entirely their own, adding another layer of unpredictability to each game that few others are able to successfully replicate as well, similar to what makes NZ slots for real money so much fun.
Long History
The first recorded games of soccer were played as far back as 2500 years ago, and according to FIFA, proto-soccer games were enjoyed in the United Kingdom as early as 200 BC. In fact, its this long history that has allowed the game to developed and become not just a sport, but a part of the culture for countries around the planet. The very first official game took place in 1872 and saw England pitted against Uruguay, providing a solid start to a game that would go on to take over the world.
International Competition
The inexpensive and simple nature of soccer meant that it was able to spread around the world quickly, and it didn’t take long for more and more people to begin to take interest in the competitions and tournaments that were starting to spring up by the dozen. Many of these would fall away, but others would eventually become international tournaments featuring many teams, all playing against one another for a common goal. The World Cup is arguably the largest and most well-known of all of the big tournaments, and draws in over 1 billion fans every time it takes place, making it the world’s most followed international event, and allowing soccer to become larger with each passing year.
