Forget March Madness. Forget the World Series. Forget the freakin’ Super Bowl. If you’ve been to Europe, you’ve probably noticed that most people over there are absolutely mad over soccer (they call it “football” outside the US, but to minimize confusion we’ll stick with our name). Even if you’re not really into the game, or you think it’s boring, good luck avoiding it—pub televisions are constantly tuned to games and highlights, and school kids can be found kicking the ball around wherever they congregate. Soccer is a part of the cultural landscape in the UK, and any student looking to partake in the British experience would be remiss in ignoring it. Many a qualified and important author has written about the cultural resonance of soccer, but as an avid fan I can give you a brief crash course on enjoying the world’s game.
The first thing to be aware of is the difference between the typical American sports fan and the European soccer fan. Simply put: our counterparts bring fanaticism to a much deeper level than we do. This goes way beyond casually rocking a Kobe Bryant jersey. For many supporters, their teams’ colors are their own. Supporting a team is more than just liking the players and watching a game every now and again. Supporting a team means flying the its colors at every opportunity. It means crying tears of joy after wins and just plain crying after losses. It’s almost like marriage: through good times and bad, ‘til death do you part. If you think I’m exaggerating, go to the local pub and try to make the “It’s Just a Silly Game” argument.
Then there are the soccer matches. Attending at least one is a must for any student studying in the UK, along the same lines as going to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham or riding the Tube. The scene in a soccer stadium is a sight to behold. Thousands upon thousands of supporters in their team’s colors form a fan army, singing songs to their team in war cry-like unison. Soccer matches last about 90 minutes, but if you’re lucky enough to be in the stands for one, it’s almost like a spiritual journey. Singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning just doesn’t quite compare.
If you’re feeling bold and thinking about choosing a squad to support during your time in the UK, you’ll need to understand how the league is set up. The English Premier League is the biggest show in town. Widely known as the most action-packed league in Europe, the EPL draws the best players from all over the world. In recent years, the EPL has been dominated by clubs known as the Big Four: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool. These are the teams that not only dominate the league but whose players fill the gossip pages in every major European paper. Man U has the sublimely talented but childish Cristiano Ronaldo; Chelsea, the steadfast John Terry; Arsenal, the prodigious Cesc Fabregas; and Liverpool, the heroic Steven Gerrard, a local boy who grew up to captain the team he supported as a child. In this case, as in others, the storylines speak for themselves.
The rest of the teams are based in small cities and towns around the country. Each squad plays once a week (twice if a club is participating in any non-league tournaments). And in the UK, game day is something to behold. Supporters fill pubs wall-to-wall, screaming at the television, singing songs with their peers, swilling countless pints of beer. Getting caught up in just one of these match-day sessions should be enough to make a convert of you. The game of soccer is easy enough to catch on to, and before you know it, you’ll be bellowing along with the locals, wondering how you let the world’s favorite game pass you by for so long.
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Photo courtesey of Lawrie Cate.