Are You Ready For Some Futbol?

Four years ago I spent 2 ½ weeks in Europe. Most of my time was spent in Spain, I did go to Morocco for a day and stayed in London for 3. While in Spain I got really sick and had to spend a lot of time in our hotel trying to get better. This illness which we called the “chupacabres”, caused me to watch a lot of tv. This was a problem as I don’t speak Spanish, however I do speak sports. Unfortunately for me the NBA and NFL seasons were over, No one watches Hockey (I actually do), and Europe hates baseball. So I spent weeks watching none other than soccer, or “futbol” if you will.

The first time I flipped on the tube and searched for something either sounding like English or resembling sports, I came across a USCNN channel. While it was in English watching CNN is like watching your sister make out with someone. I would rather just not do it. So I kept on flipping, Spanish, Spanish, Spanish, Arabic, Spanish, Fuzz…… I couldn’t win, then “futbol”. I was like well it’s kind of a sport, I guess I can fall asleep to this.

Four matches and 10 hours later I was hooked. I couldn’t get enough soccer. On top of that it was right at the end of the Euro Soccer Championships, and David Beckham, the worlds most famous soccer player, had just been traded (or signed) to Real Madrid, who played just hours from where I was so everyone in the town was going nuts over the signing. Everywhere I looked it was soccer, even on USCNN they wouldn’t stop talking about Beckham going to Real Madrid. For the next couple of weeks I watched soccer, lots and lots of soccer, it was great. By the end of the trip I owned a Beckham English National Team jersey! The my soccer world came crashing down as I boarded a plane to come home. For some reason (I actually know why) America has no desire to watch or support soccer. When I landed why love for soccer died and hid itself never to be found again……..

Until I got off a plane that had just landed Guatemala, I felt soccer rejoin my life when I stepped off the plane. Yeah it helped that we were right in the middle of the World Cup. But all of the people who worked at the airport had Brazil lanyards around their neck to support their 2nd favorite National team. I could feel the excitement rise in me, I could watch soccer again and the people around me would love it and even know more than I did (this is a rare occurrence when it comes to me and sports). I was able to watch most of the rest of the World Cup in Guatemala (mainly because the country shut down for matches, seriously our schedule was based around the cup).

I was able to purchase four jerseys while I was in Guatemala: Guatemala National Team, Brazil National Team, Real Madrid and the new English National team. But this time I was different, I was not going to give up my love for futbol again. It may seem slow (it’s really not), It is low scoring, yeah they flop like fish out of water, but it is extremely entertaining.

I said Beckham was the worlds most famous player, but Ronaldinho is the best! (Click his name and watch in amazement, even soccer haters will give this guy props.)

Also I have chosen Liverpool as my English Premiere team based off an Article by Bill Simmons, I will be ordering their jersey soon and rooting them on next year.