Soccer as an act of war
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Any alien hovering over Wembley stadium during World Cup Season would think the human race, a bunch of primitive barbarians, and the World Cup final, our warped form of tribal warfare. Hundreds of members of opposing tribes, decked out in their warpaint and coloured shirts, standing on huge blocks screaming at each other. Whilst 11 of their hand-picked best battle it out on the field, for possession of a small black and white ball.
Soccer is not just a game to some people, but a way of life, a culture, a religion. In this country, soccer is a traditional excuse for men to sit around and get drunk and watch 22 men at the peak of athletic health nearly killing each other, for the purpose of worldwide entertainment. After which, they invariably loudly proclaim that they don't like this game anyway and that they much prefer AFL/rugby, either of these being referred to as the 'mens sport' (meaning people get hurt a lot more).
In many places in the world (not least of all the UK), soccer is more a religious debate than a sporting event. Teams collect followers from a very young age, with the team you support becoming as much a part of your identity as hair colour, marital status etc. The teams are also always either Protestant or Catholic and the matches that attract the crowd are Protestant vs. Catholic.
The match itself is more like a sort of ritual slaughter on the part of the fans. Thousands of young people, passionate about their home team, get dressed up in their teams colours and go out looking for a person wearing a different coloured shirt. If this person is lucky, then they'll get shouted at for a bit and then left alone. If they're unlucky, they're greeted by a broken bottle, a half brick or a very sharp knife.
Soccer is not just a game to some people, but a way of life, a culture, a religion. In this country, soccer is a traditional excuse for men to sit around and get drunk and watch 22 men at the peak of athletic health nearly killing each other, for the purpose of worldwide entertainment. After which, they invariably loudly proclaim that they don't like this game anyway and that they much prefer AFL/rugby, either of these being referred to as the 'mens sport' (meaning people get hurt a lot more).
In many places in the world (not least of all the UK), soccer is more a religious debate than a sporting event. Teams collect followers from a very young age, with the team you support becoming as much a part of your identity as hair colour, marital status etc. The teams are also always either Protestant or Catholic and the matches that attract the crowd are Protestant vs. Catholic.
The match itself is more like a sort of ritual slaughter on the part of the fans. Thousands of young people, passionate about their home team, get dressed up in their teams colours and go out looking for a person wearing a different coloured shirt. If this person is lucky, then they'll get shouted at for a bit and then left alone. If they're unlucky, they're greeted by a broken bottle, a half brick or a very sharp knife.
