Global Impact Of Soccer

Karla Elizondo
Mr. Pierce
4th period
September 22nd, 2016 Soccer’s Global Impact In every culture there are countless similarities and differences, but there is one thing that pins us all. This would be what we recognize as sports. Sports are a way of life in multiple nationalities and cultures. There are infinite amounts sports but there is one sport known in every corner of the world, and that sport is known as soccer. Soccer is unique, it ignores all ethnic, earthly and religious boundaries. Other sports can't compare with the emotion that Soccer brings to each match, as people from the world come together to watch their team play. There are many sides of soccer. Soccer is proven to be the number one sport played and
watched all around the world. This favoritism is no shock. Soccer has been around for many generations, with young forms of the game showing up 3,000 years ago in ancient China and modern rules were adjusted in England by 1863. There are now thousands of leagues around the world, of all sizes. Making it more clear, with this year's Copa America tournament in the Americas has been played even before the United States became involved in world war I. The United States is still slowly catching up to the rest of the world in terms of general popularity, soccer most definitely has a rich past and universal influence. All this said, is this impact positive, or does it tear us all apart? As I go around for opinions from other people on this matter, I find myself with Stephanie Lopez, my next-door neighbor.
Stephanie described soccer as her life. In her own words, she explained: “ we can encounter every little thing there: passion, fight, comfort, pain, aspiration, tears, dedication, the best and worst things of life.” She also mentioned how soccer encourages brotherhood, teamwork, and coordination among people, which made it clearer for me to understand her position on this argument. “In soccer, the competition is serious, of two teams one must clearly win. The competition is what I enjoy the most. I feel the rush of adrenaline shoot through me as I carry the ball down the field, maneuvering back and forth, trying to make my approach to the net. The challenges of the players I reach throughout the game are what influence me to improve.” She added. Competition is a very constructive thing about this sport that would help in many aspects of life. Without having any competition, there would be very little to no drive to do better and therefore people would settle on
average. Alejandro Suez has a totally different perspective, during our interview he mentioned “In the 2002 world cup where Russians lost against Japan, Russians went on rampage and two people were left dead” which reminded him of the 2006 harsh confrontation that broke out in Germany after Poland shamingly lost to Germany in a match filled with wartime symbolism. Alejandro declared, “ The world cup produces a lot of despair among people, but the only sense in which it “brings people together” is by allowing them to have another reason in which their country is superior than others.” Which makes another good point. Soccer to many people is a game where winning is everything. Soccer is a pastime that channels many fans emotions. People use soccer as something to hold on to. People are willing to support their teams at all cost. Ethan Worrell described soccer as a way to get away from reality.
He said, “The matches are brimming with thriller and the unexpected will always occur. It’s great to see the players working hard to show that they truly represent their country well, and, sometimes, the nearly impossible maneuvers from the highly talented. I always say watching my favorite soccer team is like watching my favorite movie all over again, but with different scenarios and endings. So it will never get old." To sum up, soccer helps to keep people out of trouble by using much of their free time, developing self-esteem, self-discipline, support of their peers and aspirations for healthy
lifestyles. As you can see, Soccer has had, will have, and is currently having a very impressive impact on the world, and it is not likely to go away anytime soon. At its best, soccer can help to bring a sense of universal connection to nations that see its teams compete. I think of the World Cup as a good example. Every four years, many people from different nations come together towards the nation's soccer team. Promoting World Peace might the goal, but the idea of nations being able to compete without conflict and war, but rather through athleticism and sportsmanship could be practical and one seen through events such as the World Cup of Soccer. The Olympics can also receive this level of competition and focus, but, again, the notion of world peace might be a bit too much.