The summer of 2014 was the summer of soccer. The foremost reason was the 28th FIFA World Cup, but there were others. My brother became obsessed with every aspect of the sport. The neglected Vine app on his phone enjoyed a spike in attention when he discovered accounts dedicated to impressive soccer plays. My friends from high school abandoned our summer custom of pickup basketball at the local YMCA for pickup soccer. We even ended our mission trip to Tela, Honduras with an intense match of soccer against the locals. I left the game having more respect than before, for soccer.
It seems to me as though the sport of soccer has hit a surge in popularity in the U.S., and I think the World Cup generated a lot of this interest. According to the television audience report produced for FIFA by KantarSport after the 2010 World Cup, 19 percent more American viewers were reached than in 2006. This past summer, a new record was set at a men’s FIFA World Cup match when 11.1 million viewers tuned in to watch Ghana vs. U.S.
The World Cup unites countries in support of thier nations team. Unlike the Olympics, there are no distractions during the World Cup. There is only soccer. Keeping up with the World Cup is like bonding with your Labrador retriever. It is not exhausting and your lab does not require attention 24/7.
Sports are remarkably effective tools for breaking down language and culture barriers. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Doesn’t it make sense to meet the rest of the world on that common ground?
