Sports Eye

By July 14, 2014Opinion, Sports Eye

Football, most popular sport in the world

Jess Garcia

IN OUR country, like the United States, soccer football is not one of our top three favorite games. Philippines most popular sport is basketball, boxing and billards while U.S. has its football, baseball and basketball. Proof – As of May 28, 2014, football world governing body FIFA ranked U.S. as 13th best in the world while Philippines was listed as 140th.  Wow, that’s so embarrassing.

Unknown to many, soccer football is actually the most popular and the most loved sport in the world, particularly in the Latino countries, Europe, Africa and even Asia (except Philippines). The 2014 Brazil FIFA World Cup  attracted people from all walks of life from Japan, Korea, Iran, Nigeria, Algeria, to name some.  To travel to far  Brazil to watch this once-in-every-four-years (ala Olympics) world sporting event, tells you how popular the sport is.  Fans pack the stadium and cheer for their teams lustily. The  quarterfinal match between Germany versus France held last July 4that Estadio do Macarana in Rio de Janeiro packed in 74, 240 spectators.  The devoted sports buffs prayed devoutluy before and during the match and openly cried unabashedly when their beloved teams lost.  You wonder if their patriotism can be measured by their love for the sport.

 

I was in San Diego, California when I watched some of the opening matches of the elimination round at the house of my accommodator the cyclist Gerald Valdez (formerly from Sual)  I was happy I watch Mexico, my half-country defeat Cameron, 1-0, draw with Brazil, 0-0, on June 17 and beat Croatia, 3-1.
I moved to Santa Clara, California to watch the elims at my cousin-in-law’s casa of Domingo “Boy” Almonte, Jr., the former chair of barangay Landas of my town Mangaldan. It weas then when I began to apperciate what it took to play and win by watching  five-time champion Brazil, three-time winner Germany, twice titleholder Argentina, one time titlist France and non-winner Chile.
Finally back home, I was glued to the TV and watched the quarterfinals.  The defeat of Brazil in the hands of Germany shocked many.  How the Brazilian partisan crowd cried out their anguish and shame.  But aftert all is said and done, , at presstime, it’s  finally Germany versus Argentina for the championship. This will be the third time these continental giants to battle for the final game. The first was in 1986 in Mexico with the Argentines triumphing, 3-2.  Four years later, the Germans captured the title from the Argentines, 1-0, in Rome, Italy, their third.

 

Records say no country outside Europe and South America ever won the FIFA World Cup championship since its birth in 1930 won by Uruguay. Also no European country ever won the crown at South American soil. Well, ‘there’s always a first time’ as the saying goes. And who knows, Germany might break that jinx on Monday. Let’s just wait and see. Remember, the one month old 2014 FIFA World Cup is unquestionably the talk of the sporting world now surpassing any world sporting event that simultaneously was held during these days including Wimbledon. This is undoutbedfly the most loved, most popular and most admired sport in the world. I’m beginning to like it and maybe soon to become also one of my favourites.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And Jesus Christ said “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.” LUKE 12: 10

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