Undoubtedly, one of the primary factors driving the global popularity of soccer is the opportunity it provides for people to identify with something greater than themselves. Whether it be uniting in support of a common particular city, region, or even religion (see the Celtic-Rangers rivalry in Scotland), soccer provides a unique opportunity for individuals to come together and celebrate their shared interests and passions. While many soccer fans assuredly devote significant time and energy towards rooting for their favorite local squads or international superclubs, soccer provides an avenue for the expression of one emotion more so than any other: nationalism. As the author Franklin Foer notes in his book How Soccer Explains the World, "humans crave identifying with a group. It is an unavoidable, immemorial, hardwired instinct. Since modern life has knocked the family and tribe from their central positions, the nation has become the only viable vessel for this impulse" (1) . Foer goes on to argue that soccer, more so than any other institution, provides an outlet for this emotion, in the form of a country's national team. A national team is the embodiment of a nation's spirit, representing its core values and successes. It is a unifying symbol for a nation, one which all citizens of a country, regardless of race, class, political affiliation, or gender can unite in support of. Political, cultural, and economic disputes between nations are often brought onto the soccer pitch, as evidenced by the historically heated rivalry between England and Germany. Every four years, all of this nationalism and pride culminates in the world's most spectacular sporting event, the FIFA World Cup. The following video perfectly encapsulates the tremendous pride and excitement that the World Cup generates among the faithful of each nation. Personal arguments, political disputes, even civil wars are put on hold so that the entire country can rally together to support the team, for as Bono himself notes, "A country united makes for better cheerleaders than a country divided." Soccer's ability to endow its fans with a sense of community, to present them with the opportunity to identify with a cause greater than themselves, is one of the primary reasons why it has grown to become the world's most popular sport.

Additional World Cup Links:

FIFA's Official World Cup 2010 Site
ESPN's World Cup 2010 Homepage
Goal.com's World Cup 2010 Site




(1) Foer, Franklin. How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization. 2006. Pg. 198-199.