PROVIDENCE, RI – It is no secret that professional soccer is not the most popular sport in the United States. It may not even make the top five. For the rest of the world, however, soccer (or football, as non-Americans say) is by far the favorite, especially during the FIFA World Cup.
Having so many international friends, I have learned a bit about soccer over the past eight years. Now that we are in the middle of the current tournament, I thought it was the best time to share what I have learned. What I find most fascinating, though, is that in a time when cultural and political divisions are growing worse, it is soccer that brings countries together.
For such an ancient pastime, going back 2,000 years, the World Cup is quite modern. FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) organized the first games in 1930. Uruguay hosted the games and, coincidentally, won them, too. Over the next 88 years (except during WWII), teams from all corners of the globe, gathered together to go foot to foot to determine the ultimate soccer champions.
This year is the 21st World Cup and the first time I am in the U.S. to watch it. In 2010, I was in Canada to see Spain beat the Netherlands, but I was actually in Spain to witness them win game after game. I can still hear the joyous car horns of young Spaniards driving down my street in the wee hours of the morning. In 2014, I sat with many French and international students alike in front of TV screens in Paris until Germany claimed their victory.
I have no idea who will win in 2018, but what has captivated me this time around is the camaraderie and support of other teams. From the pure excitement and pride of the Senegal team to opposing fans lifting up an Egyptian man in a wheelchair to support him when his country scored, it reminds me that our humanity is far from lost. Even after Mexico defeated Germany in the first round, a German friend of mine said that he wished Germany had won but still congratulated Mexico on a game well played.
Soccer does not divide us; it brings us together because we all know that we have at least one thing in common—we love this sport. If soccer fans can do it, so can the rest of us.
Editor’s note: This article was contributed by Stephanie Pleasants, a new addition to the family of talented writers at the Richmond Observer.
