I’ve been opportune to watch a few football world cups in my lifetime. Going to these events with my soccer banner in hand to support my team has produced some of the most exciting moments in my life. The world cup is a time of the year when football fans with soccer team banners come out in masses to support their favorite teams. One of the important questions that pop up on my mind is, “why is soccer so prominent in the world today? For instance, the last world cup hosted by Russia in 2018 welcomed an estimated view of over 4 billion viewers worldwide. That’s a whopping number of viewers if you ask me, seeing that the estimated population of the world today is close to 8 billion, so imagine 4 billion out of 8 billion you’ll get an idea of why soccer has become the most prominent sports in the world.
What Makes Soccer so Popular?
When it comes to the popularity of football, there are certain things that one might consider, but the most common factor we all know is that football is popular because it is a global sport. Sports, in general, have a way of inspiring people, giving them the passion and the drive to perform at the highest level possible. Soccer is more than just waving a soccer banner design out of excitement in a stadium filled to maximum capacity. Compared to other sports like basketball, baseball, and some other common sports, soccer is in a class of its own. Without wasting further time, let’s look into some of the reasons why soccer has become the most prominent sport globally.
It’s fascinating how passionate people are about soccer all over the world. Therefore, I have come up with some common reasons why soccer dominates the world of sports.
Soccer is Inexpensive
This factor is the most common reason why soccer is famous worldwide. It takes almost nothing to play the game of soccer. While growing up, we didn’t need to play soccer with a round soccer ball, all we needed was any suitable replacement for a ball, and the game is up and running. Most of the time, we used disposable bottles of soft drinks because they were made of plastic, lightweight, and easy to kick about with the foot. On most occasions, we could use the cover of a bottle as a ball; there were always various options. Since soccer is all about scoring goals and winning, we could easily make a goal post using stones, sticks, and even our shoes. While growing up, soccer didn’t cost anything to play; however, on a standard level, the regular soccer balls are cheap and easy to afford. You could get one for as low as Ten dollars. The interesting fact is that these balls can last you for a very long time. On a competitive level, soccer is also much cheaper compared to other sports. It is also easy for fans to have access to the soccer team banners because the prices are affordable and sometimes free. Much gears are not needed when playing soccer; your jersey, trunk, shin guard, and boots are all you need.
Soccer is Played Anywhere
Soccer is very popular because it is an outdoor game. However, soccer is also flexible and can be played anywhere for as long as there is space to accommodate a certain number of players. The standard number of players on the field during a soccer event is 11 players for each team, making 22 players on the pitch. However, this is only applicable to a standard soccer pitch. The flexibility of soccer makes it possible to have 5 X 5 matches or 7 X 7 games conducted in indoor spaces or mostly in beach soccer.
There are different soccer tournaments available like the World cup, UEFA Nations League, and Club Soccer leagues worldwide play a standard 11 X 11. In contrast, soccer tournaments like beach soccer and Futsal play 5 X 5 soccer.
The Game of Soccer Focuses on the Player Ability
The primary focus of every soccer game is the players. In soccer, a star player can be the key to winning the game for his team. The brilliance of a player can be the game-changer for his side. Every soccer game creates an opportunity for a star player to exhibit his skills and become the major highlight of the game. Some of these players go as far as becoming the major highlight of the entire tournament.
Easy to Play
Soccer is one of the most simplistic sports to play in the world. Very easy to understand, and the rules are easy to follow, unlike other sports that have so many complexities. If you’re just watching soccer for the first time, you can easily understand how it works at first glance. However, this cannot be said for the other major sports.
Conclusion
Soccer is a brilliant and exciting sport in the world today. No country in the world doesn’t play soccer. It is a universal sport that helps to connect people from various tribes and races together. When it comes to unity in the world today, soccer has played a significant role in making it a reality.