The musings of a biannual soccer fan

Every two years, I become a soccer fan. Sort of. At least, I try to be. The thing is, soccer makes it very hard for me to be a fan, despite my best efforts.

You see, every time the FIFA World Cup rolls around, I think to myself maybe this is the year that I finally get into soccer. And with the passing of each World Cup, I decide I’ve seen enough. I’ve mulled the reasons for why this is, and I think I’ve grasped a couple.

As I’ve mentioned briefly in an earlier column, soccer has a pacing issue. Now, I don’t believe that it is as bad as some, even my past self, have claimed, for reasons that I will describe later, but I still have to say that it has to be one of the game’s biggest hurdles to overcome from a spectators’ point of view. Scoring, and even scoring opportunities, are few and far between, with the ball spending a large portion of its time outside the penalty box area. While there are certainly benefits to building tension, as a singular play can have a huge impact on the game, this tension is too often killed by long periods of action far away from the potential scoring zone. These long stretches of what could be perceived as inactivity can turn off a viewer rather quickly, especially one that is not informed on rules or strategy.

Which brings me to my second reason. I think part of the reason why both I and many others have been turned off from the sport as spectators is due to a lack of understanding. While physical prowess has a big impact on the results of any sport, strategy can be just as important, if not an even bigger difference maker. As such, it only makes sense that some of the enjoyment one gets as a spectator comes from understanding and appreciating the underlying strategy behind the play of the athletes. Without that understanding, one can only appreciate the physical aspects of the game.

In quick paced games like basketball, where feats of athletic prowess come fast and furious, one can often be entertained on that alone. However, in slower paced games like baseball and soccer, one often needs to appreciate the thinking behind the play in order to get the most out of your spectator experience.

I’ve experienced this firsthand while watching the most recent men’s World Cup tournament. Between the last women’s World Cup and this one, I’ve watched a couple shows that have expanded my knowledge of the game. Even if that increased knowledge is only incremental, I find myself much more interested in these past few matches than I have been before. In soccer, so much time is spent jockeying for position, trying to find that one opportunity to score. If the nuances of the strategy involving those plays is lost, then so too is the appeal of a large portion of gameplay.

Would I consider myself a huge soccer fan now? Well, probably not. Honestly, to me, it seems like a much better sport to participate in than watch, and the likelihood of a draw is a huge drain on the outcome of individual games (though I will say it adds some interesting drama in the group stages). But I will say that I do appreciate it more now. The frustration of giving up a late goal to Wales, the excitement of Pulisic’s goal against Iran, I’m here for it. I just might not be trading in my Brewers cap for a Bayern Munich jersey anytime soon.

A C ertain Point of V iew