Soccer, or football for most of the world, is supposed to be a game for the people. It’s arguably the easiest sport in the world to play (though playing it well is another matter), in that very little equipment is required. You can wrap some rubber bands together for a ball, shove a few sticks in the ground for the goals, and boom—you’ve got yourself a game. It can be played almost anywhere, from a patch of dirt to a blacktop in the middle of a bustling city. That’s what makes this game so magical. At its core, soccer is egalitarian and accessible, which is a huge part of the reason it’s by far the most popular sport in the world.
Professional soccer also has working class roots: Factory workers and miners in England and Scotland helped lay the foundations for the modern game by organizing their own teams. Arsenal F.C., the club that just won the English Premier League, was founded by munitions workers.
Soccer, or football for most of the world, is supposed to be a game for the people. It’s arguably the easiest sport in the world to play (though playing it well is another matter), in that very little equipment is required. You can wrap some rubber bands together for a ball, shove a few sticks in the ground for the goals, and boom—you’ve got yourself a game. It can be played almost anywhere, from a patch of dirt to a blacktop in the middle of a bustling city. That’s what makes this game so magical. At its core, soccer is egalitarian and accessible, which is a huge part of the reason it’s by far the most popular sport in the world.
