Why Football? - Ali's Words

We are currently preparing for our Real Betis camp which is to take place in Dubai in September this year. And the number of inquiries that we are getting daily is astonishing. We get around forty to fifty inquiries every day from across the Middle East and Africa. The enormity of the interest in football compels me to think, why football? Of course, it may have something to do with the fact that I'm reading a book called ‘The Age of 'Football’ these days. But still, when I see the magnitude of the football craze, I can’t help but question and analyze what makes the game of football so popular. Why do so many people love to play football and why do so many want to become footballers??

The word ‘fan’ comes from the Italian word ‘Fanatico’ which translates into ‘fanatic’ in English. If you’re a fierce follower and passionate lover of football, it means you’re a football fanatic. So the question is, what is it about the game that produces so many fanatics? If I go by the description given in the book I'm reading, the football craze is like a religious following which is why fans of the game follow it religiously.?

My analysis of the reason for the game’s overwhelming popularity is that it is a people’s game. Countless people around the world play football. Why? Because it does not restrict you by size, equipment, or place. You can play football anytime and anywhere; from the streets to the field and even in the workplace. All you need is a football. In fact, in some parts of the world, even that is not necessary. They make footballs out of plastic bags to play and enjoy the game.?

But that is not the sole underlying reason for the immense popularity of the sport. It is the game itself. The element of unpredictability is what makes football so addictive and irresistible. A great deal of money is spent and generated via the airing of football matches, simply because the television audience is so addicted to watching the game.?

In my opinion, football is a game of mistakes. When you pit eleven players against another eleven on the field with one football, 90% of them would make mistakes. No matter how experienced you are, how talented you are, how much you watch football, or how well you analyze the game, the nature of the game is such that there are bound to be twists and turns. The strongest team can lose to a weak team or a team that dominates the play throughout can lose just by one small mistake. That’s why we call it the game of mistakes.

It is the unpredictability of the game that makes it so intriguing; anything can happen anytime and change the entire course of the game in a second. This keeps the football fans involved and interested in the game, making it all the more popular. Since the world we live in is surrounded by uncertainty, as humans, it is suspense and surprise that bring us the most interesting and exciting moments in life. So, this is why football.