What is so great about soccer/football?

[L.A.Q]

Im not here to bash it. I just wanna know why all non-americans think it's the best sport in the world. I mean, sure....it's a sport...and people like to play/watch it. But nobody here in the U.S. is THAT obsessed with a sport they like. So I guess im just curious as to why you guys are that obsessed with Soccer. I mean, I like Basketball...I've been playing and watching it all my life...but I don't go around screaming at the top of my lungs when my team wins/loses a game. And sports are definitely not the most talked about thing here in the U.S. while as in places like Europe...people talk about it 24/7. So I guess I have a few questions. Like for instance, why is it so damn popular where you live? What is it about Soccer that sets it apart from all the other sports? And why do so many of you think it's so much better then any other sport out?

[Chris03]

I just guess us Europeans take sports alot more serious, Football is a way of life over here, The result your team gets at the weekend can affect your mood for the whole week lol.

It's so popular here because we invented the game and have been brought up into it, The pure passion and excitement of it is what sets it apart from ANY other sport in the world, The way everyone takes it seriously and has their own allegiences so people across the world can talk/debate about the same topic. Football brings people of all races, nationality, backgrounds together.

It's not called The Beautiful Game for nothing.

I guess people share different opinions on how seriously sports should be taken but it's just how it is over here, Don't be ignorant and try to knock the sport or it's fans just because it isn't your taste. Just ignore this thread and quietly move along to one of the numerous NFL or NBA threads on this board. Just try and act mature for once and let's not make this another stupid America vs. Europe sports thread.

[Rog]

I don't think that it's like that all over Europe, it is definitely like that in the football nations in Europe though. In Europe you grow up around football, your parents will be watching or your older brother or sisters, during lunch at school you'll play. It is inevitable to at least have some interest in it. There are still people that don't really care about football but for most it just becomes part of your weekly routine, every Saturday or Sunday (in Holland at least) you make sure your schedule is free so you can watch your team play. If you think people are serious about it now you should wait until Fifa Uero 2004 in Portugal because then there is also national pride involved, during the Euro and World cups the hooligans go all out, there's riots on the streets and shit.

[FunkyD..Licious]

i really hate soccer!!! its a big thing in the netherlands/europe...blah.....
sometimes there are on 5 diff channels soccer....its a dumb game
22 men running after a bal, they must score but usually they mis the goal, and when they win, supporters are ruin the city...strange celebration!!!!!
they have 2 be with a police escort cuz there is so much hate between clubs here...
they beat eachother 2 dead....dumb dumb!!!

[L.A.Q]

I just guess us Europeans take sports alot more serious, Football is a way of life over here, The result your team gets at the weekend can affect your mood for the whole week lol.

I guess I can kinda see where you're comin from. I mean, if its a real big game or somethin and my team loses im kinda mad for a couple hours...a day at the most. I don't think it would effect me for an entire week tho. So I guess sports are just taken more seriously over there or somethin.

[oaksie]

You just get into football, you play it in school every break and dinner time when your about 8 and then you start watching it, and then slowly you pick your team, and its about pride then, you feel part of the club in a way. and it can effect your mood my team CARDIFF CITY, won a playoff final last year to take us up a league, and I was in a great mood for a week at least. Theres nothing like a saturday afternoon, putting your clubs colours on, getting on the train with people heading the same place, and stepping off the train, walking down to the pub having a few pints of lager, chatting bout the football and todays match, Then you hit the ground, the game, the chants, the pies lol. Just the way saturdays should be spent. Why does today have to be monday

[Chronic]

Fifa Uero 2004

/Smartass Mode

Its a Uefa competition

/Smartass Mode

[Rog]

Haha shit, my bad, in my head it always seems like both World and Euro are Fifa. Fucking spelt Euro wrong too, making an ass out of myself haha.

[L.A.Q]

Thanks to those who replied. And just for the record I aint tryin to start anything with this thread I just had a few questions which some of you have answered.

[Heaven Cent]

I think its so popular for the same reason Hockey is so popular in Canada They dont play any other sports for the most part. The dont have american football, baseball, or as much interest in basketball So basically their Entire sports fanbase is dedicated to the sport. I could be off since Im not from Eurpoe so feel free to correct me thats just my take on the situation.

[cwoe]

As the others already said, when you grow up with a sport, you just love it!!So it is soccer in Europe as it is football in America. And the yelling thing: What is more wonderfull to support you team with all you have: the fans are the 12th man that get the team to fight even more for a victory as if it is silent in a stadium. But you can't really describe it for someone that has never experienced it. Of course there is always people hating each other for not having the same club, but then you can say with one breath why is in america the westcoast/eastcoast thing going on?? But there are also great moments: I can tell you from what I experienced myself: besides the national leagues there are also europe-wide competitions going on as the champions league and UEFA cup. My team (FC Basel, Switzerland) played against Newcastle United. They lost the homegame and had to win the away game by to goals difference. For the ones that don't know: Switzerland hasn't got the greatest soccer, we just are a small country..;-) anyway this meant that the chances of getting to the next round was very small. I still flew to Newcastle (with about 4 000 other fans) and we went to different pubs wearing our jerserys. The newcaslte supporters welcomed us very nicely and we had a lot of beer and alot of fun with them!!! At the end we switched jereseys. By the way, our team lost but it was still a great experience!!yeah

[Rog]

^ good shit man, but having a small country is no excuse for having shit football, look at Holland 3;-)3 .

[FunkyFreshKilla]

^ holland will definetly bounce back. watch euro 2004.

[8ch]

well I guess most ppl said it ... here in the middle east we dont play any other game .. well we do ... BUT rarely ... so soccer is the #1 game here ... well its the #1 game in the world actualy ...

----

i really hate soccer!!! its a big thing in the netherlands/europe...blah.....
sometimes there are on 5 diff channels soccer....its a dumb game
22 men running after a bal, they must score but usually they mis the goal, and when they win, supporters are ruin the city...strange celebration!!!!!
they have 2 be with a police escort cuz there is so much hate between clubs here...
they beat eachother 2 dead....dumb dumb!!!

lol ... well in that way u can make ANY game sound stupid ...

[ThatNuccaJuan]

Passion.