Every sport has its own unique kind of fan, if you want to know how to become a true soccer fan, we've got the key steps you need to take. Soccer is also known as football, and it is one of the most famous sports in the world. This sport rakes in millions of dollars for the pro athletes and brings many countries together as they compete with each other during the FIFA World Cup.
People love watching soccer athletes as they run miles in a single afternoon trying to make that kick for a score for their fans. If you have been feeling left out, or have heard so much about this incredible game and feel it’s just about time you became a fan, we are here to help.
In this review, we look at what you need in order to become a true soccer fan in three easy steps. But before that, you must first start by learning the rules of soccer, otherwise, the game may be more confusing than fun. Let’s get started.
How To Become A True Soccer Fan
There are a few key things you need to know if you want to do soccer like the real soccer fans do. If you get the following steps under your belt, you can stand up in those stadiums like all of those soccer fans. Let's get into the 3 key steps to become a soccer fan.
First, understand the rules
The rules of soccer are not as complicated as you think. What you must first understand are the terminologies used in soccer such as the fact that it is called “Football.” Other words you should learn are attacker, defender, back heel, back pass, off-side, corner, etc. Google the words and study them so you know what they mean, although when you start watching the game it shall be easy for you to get what they mean.
Learn more about the players
You should start by looking up the top players and leagues on their websites. This will give you some clue as to the right teams to support. There are some famous soccer players that you most certainly must know such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. These are the top best players in the world for the last ten years, and they both play for La Liga.
Other players, you should at least know of are Rumelu Lukaku who is a very powerful striker for Manchester United, Thiago Alcantara who is normally called Thiago who plays for FC Bayern Munich. He is an extremely tenacious defender who is very skilled on the counterattack.
Read books about soccer and its history
When you have some in-depth knowledge of the game and its historical facts, you shall easily understand more about the game and the tactics used in playing soccer. This shall also help you appreciate the game, even more, some of the most popular books are The Ball is Round by David Goldblatt, or Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson, or How to Watch Soccer by Ruud Gullit. These are great books to start with.
How To Take Your Soccer Fandom To The Next Level
Now, after you have understood the rules of the game, the main players, the different Leagues, and other details you may have picked up, it is time now to perfect your fan status. This is an easy process that we shall give you to not just because a soccer fan, but become a super fan.
Start by watching the game on TV
Soccer is usually played all-year-round, and at any one point, there is a league going on, either the La Liga, English Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, etc. Follow just one of them or several at the same time and get to know the players even better, the teams and the game. You could invite your friends over who know a little about soccer or watch it from a local sports pub with many soccer players who are always more than willing to teach you a thing or two.
The Different Leagues
We have mentioned the leagues above, but this is really where football is played, let us understand them better, as it will help when watching soccer games. The top five European leagues are;
The English Premier League – this is a fast-paced style of soccer that is played with very high scoring and it is also known for how physical it is.
Italy’s Serie A – this is highly technical and deals mostly with ball possession stats and defensive style of play.
Spain’s La Liga – this is known as a very quick game of passing the ball, and scoring levels are usually between the Italian and English Leagues. It also has two of the most exciting soccer teams in the world – FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Bundesliga – this is a German league that is known for its technique and physicality. It has very strong teams.
Ligue 1 from France – this is a solid step below all of the above leagues, and it has some big spenders in Paris who always entertain when the league is on.
You can watch the MLS games in the US and Canada
This is the US and Canada’s top leagues, and the best option for Americans due to their time zones. The level is not as good as the kind of soccer played in Europe, but the games are usually physical, fast and fun. The fans are also not as snobby.
How To Become A True Soccer Fan Conclusion
We hope that the points above will help you become not only a true soccer fan but a top-fan. Most fans of soccer are usually die-hards and pretty soon you may become one of them. Let's not forget one thing, when you get into any sport, you become a part of a new community, and the soccer community is a passionate one, so get ready to make tons of new friends all over the world.
