Seriously, why is soccer the most popular sport?

It’s difficult to ignore the popularity of soccer. Nowadays, you hear it talked about in offices, in the bars, on the tele, and on radio. The amount of people walking around town with replica jersey’s of their favorite players or teams is becoming all too noticeable. So seriously, why is soccer the most popular sport?

December 18, 2022

Argentina defeated France in one of the most thrilling World Cup final in history. There is an estimated 7.8 billion people roaming planet earth and according to data, 1.5 billion people tuned in at some point to the exhilarating finale. If calculations are correct, that means about 1 in 7 people.

What’s the obsession of taking a round object and kicking it around?

Studies have uncovered evidence of soccer being played as far back as 3,000 BC in the Mesoamerica region (Nicaragua, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, etc) and even a thousands years later in Greece and Egypt.

The earliest dated form of soccer was by the Chinese with a game called “Cuju” which translates to “Kick-Ball”.

So, one can only think about why in every corner of the world for thousands and thousands of years are people taking a round object and kicking it around with their feet?

The answer may be easier than we think

Seeing a ball and wanting to kick it is tempting. Right? It’s not complicated and you can make a ball out of literally anything such as a ball of clothes, animal skin, rubber, or even rocks!

Plus, you can play absolutely anywhere in places like the street, a parking lot, a court, the beach, hills, valleys, in between buildings.

Goals? Use a couple of shoes, clothes, back packs, sticks, a couple of old soda cans, you name it absolutely anything.

orange county classic — Orange County, CA
June 24-25, ’23

nor cal summer kickoff — Orange County, CA
June 24-25, ’23

A product of our environment

There’s a whole list of world class players that honed their skills in the only environment that allowed them to play. Some played played in small areas that developed them impeccable close control and some had to work their way around oddly placed objects which gave them stunning skill.

The game is accessible to us all

Some sports have an obstacle for entry such as:

Basketball you need a ball and a hoop
Tennis you need a racquet and a net.
Gold you need clubs and a course.
Baseball and Football require equipment and a playing area.

In soccer, you only need a couple of peers to make a competitive game. New players can start running around and enjoying themselves in just a matter of minutes. You can explain how to play in just one or two sentences.

Anyone can play

There is no one make up for a superior player in soccer. You can be 5’7″ and crafty with the ball or 6’5″ playing as an intimidating defender or goalie. Different skill sets are required for each position.