# What made Soccer so popular ? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 7, 2010, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257 "2010-06-07T09:41:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/21 "2010-06-08T03:57:41Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Is this close enough 🙂 > > ``` > Hail! to the victors valiant > Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes > Hail! Hail! to Michigan > The leaders and best! > > Hail! to the victors valiant > Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes > Hail! Hail! to Michigan, > The champions of the West! > > ``` Not even near. It doesn’t include the word bollocks, nor does it call into question the heterosexuality of the opposing team’s manager. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/22 "2010-06-08T10:05:27Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Skill, agility, and physical fitness are every bit as much about being physically gifted as being 6’4" and benching 400 lbs. Not really. The most skilled and agile players got that way by practicing for thousands of hours. For instance the Barcelona academy starts teaching kids football skills at age 9 and they learn 11 months a year. The most significant charm of football over other sports is you can practice ball skills on your own, you can practice passing with one or more friends, three of you can play at defensive drills, 4 or more you can play many kinds of games. All the other sports I have played require a whole team to do anything meaningful or even have some fun. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/23 "2010-06-08T10:15:45Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Is this close enough 🙂 > > ``` > Hail! to the victors valiant > Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes > Hail! Hail! to Michigan > The leaders and best! > > Hail! to the victors valiant > Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes > Hail! Hail! to Michigan, > The champions of the West! > > ``` Not as catchy as this:- Who’s that team they call United? Who’s that team they all adore? They’re the boys in red and white And they play with all their might, And they’re out to show the world how they can score! Soooooooo, bring on Sunderland and Arsenal, Bring on Spaniards by the score, Barcelona, Real Madrid, They may make a gallant bid, But they’ll only find the reason why we roar. ps. I’m hoping we might be hearing **“We’re so bored, with the USA!”** on Saturday evening. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Gypsybets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@Gypsybets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gypsybets)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/24 "2010-06-08T11:16:25Z")
the game got more popular when on line sports betting hit the world in 1990’s this makes the game more popular now with all the betting you can do on all the leagues…there are about 10 leagues you can bet on,it has made pro football baskets tennis anysport you can bet on daily weekly will always be popular,bowling has no interest on tv why know one is betting it there is no line in bowling… ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/25 "2010-06-08T13:28:19Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Not really. The most skilled and agile players got that way by practicing for thousands of hours. For instance the Barcelona academy starts teaching kids football skills at age 9 and they learn 11 months a year. Yes, but some of those players go on to become Lionel Messi and some of them go on to become warm bodies for the B team squad. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/26 "2010-06-08T14:51:52Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > That’s a pretty big if. > > Hey guys, anybody can be the best soccer player in the world… provided you’re the most agile and dexterous person in the world. > > Skill, agility, and physical fitness are every bit as much about being physically gifted as being 6’4" and benching 400 lbs. That clearly is not what I said. RFC. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/27 "2010-06-08T15:24:45Z")
[How a soccer star is made](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/magazine/06Soccer-t.html?src=me&ref=general) Story of Soccer club Ajax . Interesting read . ---
**Author:** ![vdgg81](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@vdgg81](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vdgg81)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/28 "2010-06-08T18:56:42Z")
I don’t have anything new to add, I agree with most of the points argued by the other dopers. First, it’s a relatively simple game at the surface, so it’s easy even for children to grasp and play but, like all good games, at the professional level has an underlying complexity that keeps it interesting to anyone. It’s very dynamic, differently from baseball or american football, so there’s always something going on while you’re watching - while I lived in the States I went to see a game of the Yankees playing the Red Sox and I loved the experience; the game was so thrilling I decided I’d begin watching the Red Sox on tv. My determination lasted for two games it was so boring to watch outside the stadium. Sure, soccer can be boring, anything can, but even a boring game of soccer has lot’s of stuff going on (as I’m sure it’s true for baseball, but soccer still has more action per minutes). The most important thing is that soccer can be such a beautiful game. All the points above are true of many games, but when people say that soccer can be aesthetically pleasing they don’t mean it only in an abstract, cerebral way but in a plastic one. A great defense by a goalie, an astounding goal, a complex play by the offense, even a good reception of a well done pass can provide pleasure even to someone who’s not a fan of the game. The athleticism and skill of the players and the harmony of their acting in concert touches a chord in us. The beauty of soccer IMO is extrinsic to the dynamics of the game and can be appreciated in itself much more than it’s the case in other team sports. That kind of pleasure can also be found in Olympic gymnastics, say, but in soccer you ally this with the thrill of competitive team play in a championship setting. Artistic skating has no equivalent to a goal against another team. It’s a _game_ that’s as pleasing to the eye as any _sport_, if that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/29 "2010-06-09T00:09:25Z")
I hear you on the description of how it’s beautiful. I feel the same about American football; nothing impresses me more than the feats of athletic greatness in the face of hulking behemoths about to pulverize you. > [@ShibbOleth](#): > > There is almost always something happening versus American sports like football and baseball, there there are long periods of inactivity broken up by short bursts of action. > > All players are involved in the game most of the time (save maybe the keeper) and any can score; it’s a bit more democratic than many American sports that way. The closest North American sport in this regard is hockey. Neither of these is a reason for soccer to be objectively popular. They just happen to be features of a popular sport. (Though they may very well be legitimate, critical reasons it’s popular in, say, England for example, but that’s not the question asked.) It’s the ease of play, both logistically and financially, that makes it so popular in so much of the world. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/30 "2010-06-09T01:05:07Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Not even near. It doesn’t include the word bollocks, nor does it call into question the heterosexuality of the opposing team’s manager. You should hear what the words to the Michigan fight song are when song by people in school in Columbus OH, South Bend IN or E. Lansing MI then. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/31 "2010-06-09T02:12:46Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Not really. The most skilled and agile players got that way by practicing for thousands of hours. For instance the Barcelona academy starts teaching kids football skills at age 9 and they learn 11 months a year. > > The most significant charm of football over other sports is you can practice ball skills on your own, you can practice passing with one or more friends, three of you can play at defensive drills, 4 or more you can play many kinds of games. All the other sports I have played require a whole team to do anything meaningful or even have some fun. This is absolute fantasy. Complete and utter bs to think that anybody can become as agile as Messi with lots of practice. The most skilled and agile players are enormously naturally predisposed to be good at what they do. They then hone this with lots of practice. In exactly the same way that everybody in the NFL is naturally fast and strong, but honed that with hitting the gym and diet. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/32 "2010-06-09T02:15:05Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > That clearly is not what I said. > > RFC. Explain how it’s democratic please. Seems to me like you’re claiming other sports preclude greatness from most participants because of natural physical limitations. I’d say the exact same thing is true about soccer. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/33 "2010-06-09T02:24:39Z")
I wonder how much of it is strong regional identification and pride, in particular all the country vs. country matches. With the exception of hockey (and very marginally baseball and basketball) all the competition in the major US sports is within our borders, and I don’t think many residents of US cities have strong feelings about residents of other cities (some exceptions, yes, like NYC-Boston, but still). ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/34 "2010-06-09T02:25:33Z")
How about a cynical observation? Soccer/football’s popularity proves that Frank Zappa was right when he said that stupidity, not hydrogen, was the most common element in the universe. In theory soccer sounds like it should be a great game. The cost to play it is cheap, the players are recognizable because they don’t have helmets, caps, normal sized like regular people and the ball is always moving. But somehow, IMO, it just adds up to mostly boredom with a few brief, largely random moments of action when somebody actually has a shot on goal. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/35 "2010-06-09T04:32:48Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > The most significant charm of football over other sports is you can practice ball skills on your own, you can practice passing with one or more friends, three of you can play at defensive drills, 4 or more you can play many kinds of games. All the other sports I have played require a whole team to do anything meaningful or even have some fun. I don’t even play basketball but you can do all of that with that sport as well. Maybe that explains the popularity of basketball. It’s also a relatively inexpensive game to play. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/36 "2010-06-09T05:37:11Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > How about a cynical observation? Soccer/football’s popularity proves that Frank Zappa was right when he said that stupidity, not hydrogen, was the most common element in the universe. > In theory soccer sounds like it should be a great game. The cost to play it is cheap, the players are recognizable because they don’t have helmets, caps, normal sized like regular people and the ball is always moving. But somehow, IMO, it just adds up to mostly boredom with a few brief, largely random moments of action when somebody actually has a shot on goal. Will you share the name of your favourite game please ? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/37 "2010-06-09T08:16:43Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > But somehow, IMO, it just adds up to mostly boredom with a few brief, largely random moments of action when somebody actually has a shot on goal. Well there you go. I didn’t realise that place kicks were actually the most interesting part of gridiron. ---
**Author:** ![\_Undecided\_Adrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/eada6e/32.png) [@\_Undecided\_Adrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Undecided_Adrian)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257/38 "2010-06-10T20:49:02Z")
It’s also self-perpetuating - soccer is the biggest or one of the biggest sports in almost all nations, and that makes the international side very interesting. Similar to the Olympics, but all in the same sport. I’m not interested too much in the Bundesliga, unlike the rest of my family, but the World Cup is great fun. Especially if you’re in the hosting country 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-made-soccer-so-popular/542257.md?page=1)