Since November 20th, it has been a great time for us, soccer fans around the world—a time when our friends got together around the television, cheering on favorite soccer teams. Every night, we were shouting, and jumping up and down. Soccer fans got really into the games. Although the next World Cup is in 2026, many of us have made the wish to watch it live.
Why are we so crazy? Maybe it's the game's camaraderie: the feeling that the team on the field is our team; their win is our victory, and their loss is our failure. Or maybe it's the game's international quality. In countries like France, England, Spain, and Brazil, major teams have players from many different nations, and these teams now have fans all over the world.
But I think the main reason may be this: It's a simple game. Anyone can play it. "You don't need to be rich to play soccer," says historian Peter Alegi. "You just need an open space and something like a ball, a bottle, or even some bags tied together." Even in some war areas, you can see children and adults play on the street, often with handmade balls. That's why soccer becomes the most loved sport.
In human history, people have played some kinds of the kicking game. What the world now calls football—or soccer in the United States—began as far back as 2500 B. C. with the Chinese game of cuju. However, the sport we know today first appeared in Britain. In the 1840s, England's Football Association made a set of rules, and the modern game was born. Today, more than 200 million players all over the world take part in the game, truly making soccer the world's sport.
Surprisingly, many of the game's best players come from poor families in African nations, including Senegal, Ivory Coast and Ghana. Through their hard work, these best players achieve success and find their value. "Soccer is the love of everyone here," says Abubakari, a teacher who works in Tamale, Ghana. "It gives people hope and makes us strong."
