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Absurdly, I haven’t yet got around to saying that football is a wonderful sport, but of course it is. Goals have a rarity value that points and runs and sets do not, and so there will always be that thrill, the thrill of seeing someone do something that can only be done three for four times in a whole game if you’re lucky, not at all if you’re not. And I love the pace of it, its lack of formula; and I love the way that small men can destroy big men in a way they can’t in other contact sports, and the way that the best team does not necessarily win.
– Nick Hornby, Fever Pitch
In life it can be difficult to qualify why we enjoy certain things and dislike others. Each person is a unique individual in their own right thus its difficult to explain to others why we like chocolate over vanilla or jazz over rock. This same notion holds true for why we love football. Indeed, at times it is difficult to explain to others why we love football. In the end, we love it because well, we just love it. It’s as simple as that. However in this sometimes hostile-to-football world we live in, it can be useful to qualify the reasons of why we love the game. Thus, in this light, I have sought to identify my own five reasons as to why I love this sport.
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From the heights of joy for being one up from
a stunning Dunfield shot, to being 2-1 down
in the ninetieth minute, just to have a moment of pure ecstasy when Tosaint Ricketts slotted
it home in extra time. From joy to despair
to ecstasy! |
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Simple yet Creative: With the exception of swimming, which undoubtedly requires water, football is probably the simplest sport to play. No nets, no shoes, no sticks or skates nor gloves are required. All that you need is a round object and a willing body. It can be played with friends in the park or simply by yourself against a wall. Yet as simple and easy it is to play, football is incredibly conducive to great individual as well as collective artistry and creativity. This fine balance between the individual talent and collective strength is really what makes football the sport it is. One player is unable to win a game without the help of the other ten, however at the same time, one player is all that is needed to switch the balance between winning and losing. That player’s individual creativity and spark can lead a team to glory whereas without him, the other ten are lost.
Unexpectedness: While I dedicate an enormous amount of time to football, I do follow other sports as well and I can definitively say that no other sport has the same degree or level of unexpectedness as football. When thinking of this unexpectedness, the examples abound. Just in this past year, my thoughts drift towards that cracker of a game between Arsenal and Newcastle where the Magpies came back from 4-0 down. Japan v. USA at the Women’s World Cup is another. Even this past weekends match in Portland where I surely thought TFC was headed for another loss (I’ve become eternally pessimistic with this team mind you). Nevertheless, as a Fulham FC supporter, I must admit that our run in the 2009/10 Europa League will top all my moments of unexpectedness. From the moment we qualified to the final itself, I was left pretty much astonished after every match. As I’m sure Nick Hornby would agree, this unexpected nature is due to the complete lack of formula in any football match. Football is a game of ninety minutes where you should learn to expect the unexpected!
Ninety Minutes of Emotion: Since football is so unexpected, I am often given an emotional roller coaster every time I watch a team I love. Ecuador vs. Canada at BMO Field this year in June is a perfect example. From the heights of joy for being one up from a stunning Dunfield shot, to being 2-1 down in the ninetieth minute, just to have a moment of pure ecstasy when Tosaint Ricketts slotted it home in extra time. From joy to despair to ecstasy! All these are inside a match of football.
Cosmopolitan: According to the Oxford Dictionary, cosmopolitan is “familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures”. Used as an adjective, this truly describes football. There are 208 FIFA member nations. That’s fifteen more than the United Nations. With so many nations playing the game, different styles of play and cultures of football have been born. Not only this, there is a wide variety of supporters who each have their own treasured and special ways of supporting their clubs and national teams. Additionally, with so many playing the game, the margins are tighter and the competition is fiercer. No other sport can match.
Communality: Since football’s reach is so extensive, it connects people in a way that surpasses all, possibly even more than language or religion. In my travels around the globe, I have always found a common link with complete strangers through a shared love for football. Whether in Laos, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Belgium or Canada, I have also come to create great friendships with people who share that same love as I do. Without football, I may have missed out on relationships, those which I have come to cherish
so much.
So here’s to you football for being more than just a sport! You give us heartbreak and joy, as well as friends across the globe. Life without you would be a little duller and less exciting.
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