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If you feel left out because you're not a soccer fan, you can easily become one. If you get familiar with the game and learn to appreciate the skill of its players and the passion of its fans, you too can become part of the worldwide soccer family.
Watching Games
Start watching games on TV. As soccer is a year-round sport, you will have many occasions to follow matches on screen. Follow one or several of the top European leagues, as the world’s most entertaining soccer games are played in these leagues. Alternatively, find out which leagues are televised at a convenient time of the day for you. You can also start by watching soccer with your friends or other locals in pubs. Watching games together with other people will give you a lot of energy that will easily trigger your interest in the sport.
Get informed about the different leagues. Each country’s league has its own characteristics and styles of play. Find out which align with your own tastes. It will help to watch games from several countries to get a feel for the contrast in styles. Start by watching the top five European leagues. The English Premier League is known for its physical, fast-paced style of play with higher scoring. Italy's Serie A is known for being technical with possession-based defensive styles. Spain’s La Liga is known for quick passing, with scoring levels in between the English and Italian leagues. It also has two of the most exciting teams in the world, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Germany's Bundesliga is known both for physicality and technique, with stronger teams through the middle of the table. France's Ligue 1 is a solid step below the other four, but with some big spenders in Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) who are entertaining when in their stride.
Watch the MLS. The USA and Canada’s top league is a good option based on your time zone. While the level is not as high as in the European leagues, the games are often fast, physical and the fans are not as snobby.
Go to local games in your hometown. Following local games can help you better understand the grassroots appeal of the game which underpins all of the big money and glamour of the international scene. Being there and experiencing the games in person offers valuable lessons on the true feeling of the sport.
Learning the Rules
Know the correct terminology. While “soccer” is the most frequently used word in North America and other English speaking countries, in Europe and other parts of the world the sport is called “football”. Knowing the difference will be highly useful when looking up information about the games, but also when discussing the sport with friends and other supporters from around the world.
Learn about the players. To begin with, you can look up the top leagues’ websites that will have detailed information about their players. Start with the most famous names. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the top players worldwide for the last decade. Ronaldo plays for Premier League club Manchester United, while Messi plays for Paris Saint-Germain. Romelu Lukaku is a powerful striker who plays for Premier League club Chelsea. Thiago Alcantara, known only as Thiago, plays for Premier League club Liverpool. He is a tenacious defender and skilled on the counterattack.
Read books about the history of the sport. Having in-depth knowledge about historical events and the development of the game and its tactics will only make you appreciate the sport even more. Depending on your interests, you can choose from several titles: For more information about the history of the sport you can read “The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football” by David Goldblatt. For more information about strategy and tactics you can read “Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Soccer Tactics ” by Jonathan Wilson. For more information about how to watch and understand the sport you can read “How to Watch Soccer” by Ruud Gullit.
Read daily sports news. For daily updates about ongoing games, there are several online sources that can provide accurate information. One of the most popular sites to consult is espnfc.com. Other highly informative sites about the Premier League, but also the other European leagues, are bbc.com and dailymail.co.uk. For getting quick information about game scores, you can use the LiveScore app.
Getting Involved
Join a recreational league. It is important to play some soccer yourself, as this will further your understanding of the game and feel for the sport. Dribble the ball around in the grass, bounce it off walls, learn to juggle with your knees. True love of the game makes you a passionate soccer fan. If you don’t have time to join a league, you can also participate in a game of street soccer. For this you need a ball and people who want to play. Even if the ball, the pitch, the goals and the teams are all non-regulation you can still have a good game.
Join a fan club. Being part of a club will make you feel as an integral part of the fan community and it will increase your love of the sport. There are many ways to choose a club to support, but most commonly fans will choose a club based on where they’re from, a city or region they feel an affinity with. You can also choose a team based on the number of players it has from a country you sympathize with. You can choose to support a club based on style of play, favorite players or simply by finding one that is easier to follow based on television and media coverage. Alternatively you can always choose a club suggested by your friends or family.
Participate in fan initiatives. Activities such as face painting and interactive games are good bonding opportunities between the supporters, and can also be highly entertaining. Additionally, you can purchase support materials such as T-shirts, scarves or hats that you can wear at games and that will distinguish you as a dedicated supporter.
Talk about soccer. In order to keep furthering your knowledge you need to talk to other supporters about the games going on. Maintaining an active interest in the sport and its players will set you on your way to becoming a true and dedicated fan. Consider joining online forums for discussing football with same minded supporters. Choose a forum based on your team or league preference. You can also join online football trivia quizzes that will not only test your knowledge, but also give you new insights about the sport.
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