So the United States team is out of the World Cup. Ho, hum.
Who cares, aside from the team members and their mothers. Our “national team” should not be in the World Cup in the first place. It is simply not America’s game, and never will be.
We lost to Ghana, an African country of 21 million people. What happened when they beat the United States and continued into the knock-out round of 16? The people poured into the streets, they laughed and cried and celebrated through the night. For many of the impoverished people there,` this was the highlight of the year, or maybe their lives. Many of the competing countries have few, if any, major sports.
Most of the people in the United States feel that soccer is boring. Then, again, many of the people who do not understand baseball consider it boring. But sports fans like me love both games. Soccer is amazingly fast and intricate. There are no interruptions for free throws, or pitching changes or referee challenges. If a foul is called, a player from the affronted team puts the ball down and play goes on. Once in awhile someone is carried off on a stretcher but that hardly slows things down.
Imagine running at full speed with a ball at your feet. Imagine kicking it to a teammate who is 20 yards away. These soccer players can do amazing things. We have our baseball legends like Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio and maybe Barry Bonds. Everyone has heard of Pele, but there are many others who are idolized for their skills. Zinedine Zidane of France is retiring but will always be remembered as the best player of the last decade. The fact that David Beckham can “bend it” has great significance. Ronaldo of Brazil continues to score at a record-setting pace.
My husband and I have been following “their football” for many years and have always made it a point of attending a match in countries we have visited. We watched club players in England change into soccer clothes behind a bush before running on to an improvised field. In Seville, we bought tickets to an evening game but, because it was raining, we decided not to go. The concierge of the hotel begged us to attend explaining that we would be in a sheltered area. He even had a taxi waiting. We gave in and had a wonderful time. The Spaniards were delighted that there were two Americans enjoying their game.
In Rio de Janeiro, we wanted to go to the Maracana, the largest soccer stadium in the world, seating more than 200,000. We were advised to go on a tour bus which provided an armed guard. It was a great experience.
My Brazilian-born daughter-in-law, Vania, and grandson, Davi, are in Fortaleza, Brazil, as I write. Their many relatives live and die through the World Cup. When Brazil plays, schools, banks, airlines, everything closes down so that the games can be watched.
Four years ago, when Brazil emerged victorious by beating Germany, there were 25 people gathered at the home of Vania’s aunt and uncle. After the game, everyone was thrown into the pool, fully dressed, including grandmother, who had gone into a bedroom because she could not bear to watch.
The team made appearances in several cities and received thunderous receptions. Crowds of people waited all night at the various airports to greet the team. Their heroes rode through the cities on fire engines cheered by one and all.
Many people may wonder why soccer is so popular all around the world. My own theory is that it is a game that anyone can play with a minimum of equipment. All one really needs is a ball. We have seen poor children in Mexico play barefoot on a deserted piece of land with makeshift goal posts. In Belgium, a group of children got off a bus and immediately started to play in the town square. A gentleman wearing a suit and carrying a brief case came along and adeptly kicked the ball across the “field.”
The newspapers carry pictures of crowds in other countries watching the game on television wherever it is shown. In the United States, there was more interest in poor Phil Mickelson’s plight than in the United States team’s pathetic demise.
Let’s just forget about the World Cup! Hey, the Wimbledon matches are on, then the football season will be starting and soon there will be baseball’s World Series. All on television! A sports fan need never leave home. Go, Lakers!