From soccer in Ireland to soccer in Germany to soccer in the USA, soccer has been a much beloved sport for many years. It dates back centuries, to the late 1840’s, where the official rules of the game of soccer were first ever drawn up at Cambridge University in England. Since then it is a game not only played in England but in countries around the world, from soccer in Ireland to soccer in Costa Rica. Soccer is almost universally loved, and many people enjoy playing soccer recreationally as well as watching it.
Soccer is hugely widespread. This can be seen at any World Cup soccer event, a competition in which the best team by country wins the honor of best soccer playing country in the world. Such a competition happens once in every four years, and is held in a different country each year. For the rest of the time, countries compete nationally and in other international competitions. In England, where soccer as we know it today first originated, teams play in different leagues based on rank. The Premier League is the best of these leagues and only contains about twenty of the best teams at any given time in England.
Italy also has a popular national soccer association, called the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio, was only founded in 1898 as part of the Union of European Football Associations, but has enjoyed a celebrated history since, ever since it beat the country of France at the conclusion of its first ever game, which was held in 1910. And Italy is certainly not alone in its appreciation and love for the sport of soccer. Soccer in Sweden is also popular, with as many as forty five stadiums built for the primary purpose of hosting a soccer game or soccer tournament. In Sweden alone there are more than two hundred and fifty licensed soccer players, with more than fifty thousand of those players women. This makes soccer easily the most popular and preferred sport no matter where you go in the country of Sweden.
Though soccer is enjoyed by many people primarily through watching soccer games, playing soccer – even just recreationally as many do – is a beloved past time of many people the world over. Playing in a soccer league, even just a small one, is common for many children as they are growing up and can be hugely beneficial in a number of ways.
First, it helps children to be active on a regular basis, something that many children in the United States and beyond struggle with. But statistics have shown that activity and movement are hugely important to the overall health of our children, and those who engage in a sport such as soccer are as much as eight times more likely to maintain such levels of healthy activity even into adulthood, to the age of twenty four and beyond. Playing a sport such as soccer can also be beneficial for mental health, as regular exercise has been found to elevate overall mood. When it came to regular feelings of sadness, those who exercised regularly through sports like soccer were ten percent less likely to experience such emotions on a regular and life impacting basis.
From soccer in Ireland to soccer tours to Costa Rica, soccer has also provided a sense of community for many different types of people. Soccer in Ireland is a great example of this, a unifying love for a country that is so often divided. Soccer in Ireland is not the only way that soccer has had an impact however. For talented young athletes, soccer in Ireland and soccer around the world in places like Costa Rica have provided athletic opportunities and the chance for success where it may have not existed otherwise.
No matter what is behind your love of soccer, there is no doubt about it that soccer is one of the most beloved sports in the entire world. From soccer in Ireland to soccer in Spain to soccer in England, soccer lovers unite (and compete) the world over in their love of the game. Soccer provides enjoyment, athleticism, and even increased health in those that participate in the sport.