5 Aspects of Soccer That Make It So Popular

pixfly/Shutterstock: Why is soccer so popular?

Australia and the US are maybe the last two countries with a sizable population where soccer isn’t among the top three sports. We are expecting the trends to catch-up with these countries soon; after all, it is the most popular sport in the world!

With over 250 million professionals playing the game, we decided to find out why it is so prevalent across the globe. Here are our findings.

It is Simple

What is the first step for learning a new sport? You learn the rules of the game and get started. There is nothing easier than learning soccer – not a lot of jargon, fewer technicalities, and self-explanatory for the most part.

Consistent Rules

The NFL is infamous for changing its rules every now and then. This is the case with many other major sports but not soccer. Although there are technological advancements and newer penalties to ensure discipline, the basic fabric of the game has remained unchanged for many years now.

Non-Stop Action

Edoardo Busti/Unsplash: Soccer is always full of non-stop action

There is no doubt that basketball is a great game, but sitting through the last five minutes of any match is difficult. Thanks to both teams availing their timeout options, it feels like hours before those nerve-wracking moments pass.

This does not happen in soccer, where free-flow is given utmost importance. Stopping the clock is not an option for these teams, and even if the game is interrupted, it is only for avoiding any possible injuries.

Widespread

Getty Images: FIFA champions

A whopping 209 nations applied to be a part of the 2019 FIFA World Cup, of which only 32 were selected! This goes to show how much soccer means to all these countries and its soaring popularity.

Besides, there is no one team that regularly wins the cup. There are easily around ten teams that could be named as powerhouses and may win the next world cup. It is safe to say that no other sport enjoys this kind of dominance in the world arena.

Physicality Has Little Significance

If you are a follower of soccer, you probably know that Ronaldo and Messi are on the top of their game. Their success can be attributed to their talent and skill, but both are not very physically dominant.

Unlike many other sports, size barely matters in this sport (unless you are playing in a team which relies on that kind of prowess).

Now that you have more than enough reasons to play soccer, pick up your cleats, and start kicking!