The Intriguing World of Soccer - Research Paper Example

The Intriguing World of Soccer Introduction Soccer is the most famous sport all over the globe, and the reason for this can be associated to various factors. The mysterious nature and adventurous spirit of the sport itself could be the major attraction of this sport. In soccer, anything can happen and all the enthusiasm, spirit and energy involved in the game make the blood of the men rush to their brains. The big, fast and muscular men chasing the soccer ball is more than what it seems t o be. Soccer is the fastest game and is the most watched sport in the whole world. The reputation and fame which soccer holds is cannot be equivalent to any other sport in the world. Even though, it can be injurious to health many a times, the intense energy and spirit it offers to the world makes it an invaluable sport. The soccer is enjoyed by all age groups, and it is a huge favorite among teenage guys and middle aged men. Since young people are abundant with energy, they experience huge thrill and adventure in indulging in this sport. They play it as a recreational sport, and the competitive spirit of the game along with health benefits it offer make soccer a right pick. It can be seen many a times that most of the admirers of this game is emotionally attached to this game. The spectators of soccer as well as the players undergo a strange nervousness, excitement and burst of energy which is incomparable to any other sport in the world. History of Soccer Even thought soccer has large fan following in Europe, the history of this game can be traced back to China around 2nd and 3rd century BC. During the Han dynasty the Chinese used to play a form of game using leather balls by dribbling and targeting it in to small net. Recorded evidence reveals that, Greeks and Romans also enjoyed ball playing as a leisure activity. In Japan also they enjoyed a similar sport and this group of people was called Kyoto. But it was in 14th century, this sport gained interest among English men, and gradually influenced the monarchy, King Edward III to ban the game for the violence and rage involved in it. During 15th century the King of Scotland also prohibited the soccer in the parliament. The soccer is played for more than 3000 years but the exact origin of this game is not authentically traceable. However, the form of football we see in the present day can be openly credited to the nation Britain. The association of football was formed with the effort of England and Scotland and they turned it in to a systematic sport. During 1815, visible changes took place in the way the game was played and it became a big hit among school, universities and colleges. According to (Joshua) “Firmly establishing the foundation of soccer in 1869, the Football Association strictly banned any kind of handling of the ball”. Soccer’s popularity spread rapidly during the 1800s as British sailors, traders and soldiers introduced the sport to different parts of the globe”. Popularity of Soccer as a sport Soccer is the number one sport all over the world, and is played in every part of the world despite of caste, creed or religion. Even though, the soccer’s root is fixed in Europe, especially in Britain, the popularity of the game is spread thought the world. The world cup which is the most famous sports event in the world showcases soccer as the sport. World cup is the sports event which grabs worldwide attention ands also is the largest sports event to be conducted on a global level. World Cup is organized by Federation of International Football Association, and this sports event is conducted in every four years. The 2010 world cup was hosted in South Africa, which was huge success among football lovers and it was claimed that the popularity of the game is only growing year by year. It is the first time an African continent is holding a world cup event which is a positive step towards overcoming the disparities in race and regional boundaries. As per (Jezek), The World Cup is not just a 32-team soccer extravaganza, which takes place over the course of roughly four weeks every four years. It is the end product of nearly two years’ worth of qualifying tournaments, preliminary matches, and eliminations”. The soccer is popular for the very reason of it being a violent and energy filled sport. It is estimated that more than 19 million children play this game on city streets ad suburban rugged grounds. Apart from being challenging , the soccer have good aspect like giving health benefits and bad side like giving injuries to the person playing it. Health benefits of Soccer Soccer being highly physically active, offers immense health to people engaging in it. The game of football gives exercise to the whole body as a player kick and run throughout the game. Soccer is an intense aerobic activity in which a person breathes faster and move faster giving workability to muscles all over their body. Soccer being a continuous play, gives the player great fitness and cardiovascular health benefits. These energizing sports can be practiced by people of any age group and mostly the teenagers are the one who widely benefit from it. Children of minor age like to involve in highly active sport and being a team sport they can have fun and frolic playing it. While playing football people can increase the muscle tone and reduce body fat which is very attracting health benefit. This sport help the younger generation is developing endurance, flexibility and strength which can be helpful for them in maintaining high level of mental and physical fitness. Since people involved in football are always walking, running or dribbling ball the generation of stamina is very high. Another highlight of this soccer is that the game always does not need a big team to be played, as it can be played even in backyard, beach or school ground with fewer number people. The game also gives the players a quality of self discipline, self endurance, self confidence and self esteem. The concentration and competitiveness required for the game is high and this give the players an opportunity to mold themselves. Bad Consequences of Soccer It is well known that soccer is a high spirited game, and it is also known that it can give injuries unlike any other game. There is an element of violence and rage in this game which make it injury causing or damaging. The injury caused by soccer is called as cumulative (overuse) or acute (traumatic) injuries. Over use injuries happen over duration of time because of the strain on muscles, soft tissues and joints. Whereas, the acute injuries happen due to a sudden impact or force and can be very dramatic experience. “More than 30% of meniscal tears are produced by sport injuries, and in Europe soccer is responsible for 70% of them”(Renstrom,277). In this sport there is lot of chances of body contact with other players and this result in injuries and even fatal ones at times. It is very hard to avoid soccer injuries as the sport is intensely active and physically overpowering. There is lot of collision involved in this game and most of the time players encounter each other with revenge and rage. The repeated action of ball heading involved in soccer also can give way to brain injury which is mostly seen in the sport of boxing. Also the practice of head banging in soccer can lead to head injuries and can cause concussion at certain situations. Face injuries like broken nose, jaws and cheeks are also commonly seen injuries in soccer .The goal keepers having a defensive role in the game, mostly come up with wrist and hand injuries while catching or blocking the ball. World Cup – The Biggest Soccer Event The stature and prestige which world cup has cannot be compared with any other sports e in the world. FIFA world cup captures the heart and soul of the people all over the world and the popularity is just growing like never. According to (FIFA) “A group of visionary French football administrators, led in the 1920s by the innovative Jules Rimet, are credited with the original idea of bringing the worlds strongest national football teams together to compete for the title of World Champions”. After its introduction the world cup got immense fame and reputation and grew to be the favorite single sporting event of the modern world. After all the evolution happened to the world Cup event, the attention and fame it achieves is same as ever. The glittering golden trophy of the world cup is the ambition which fire in the heart of every foot ballplayer. Currently there are 32 members competing for the world cup golden trophy .In the 2006 world cup it was estimated that 715.1 million -people watched the final match held in Germany. The 2010 world cup held in South Africa was a huge success and the winner for this event was Spain. The 2014 World Cup is to be held in Brazil, 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. However, it has been a great surprise for a small but wealthy country Qatar to win the bid to host World cup Soccer Event for 2022. Qatar the host of World Cup 2022 Qatar is a country which is small in size, and located between Arabian Gulf and can be defined as one of the wealthiest nation in the world. Qatar is a dramatically developing country from all spheres of life .It has a boosting economy with a strong back up from its petroleum wealth and sports are undoubtedly their passion and spirit. Qatar was earlier the host of Asian Games, and the manner in which they hosted the game has raised the eyebrows of many people around the world. They had the immense wealth and confidence to organize a game which was previously conducted in developing and geographically huge nations. Qatar had got world wide attention recently as it ruler’s changes their economic structure in an attempt to become modernizes and sophisticated. As per (Rivera),“All eyes are on Qatar as it sets out its preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with infrastructure projects amounting to over $100bn over the next 12 years. This scale of construction projects is bound to attract the attention of construction companies from world wide”. Qatar has won the bid for world cup 2022, giving astonishment to people all around the world and it is indeed a challenging role for the country. The sport event is 12 years away, and the country is well geared to it taking in consideration all the positive and negative sides of it. Qatar is the first Arab nation to hold a world cup, and has numerous challenges to face in order to organize and host the event. Qatar’s Preparation on Hosting World Cup The count down has begun for Qatar in moving towards the organization and hosting of the ever fascinating sports event called the world cup. The city of Qatar not being fully developed is a matter of concern for the country in holding the event. The world cup came in to the hands of the country not by mere coincidence, but by the vision and the immense hardwood contributed by the Qatar Olympic committee over the last few years. Qatar is sport loving country and the effort it has done to achieve the status now is indeed praise worthy. According to (The Peninsula)“Next month, Qatar will welcome the region’s top 16 football teams for the Asian Cup, which will be staged in five stadiums across Doha. Also next year, Doha will bring together the Arab world’s best athletes for the Pan Arab Games to be held in November 2011”. Qatar has failed in Olympic Games bid, but the country never gave up on its sports spirit and went on to win the most coveted event which is world cup. The country is estimated to spend $ 100billion to developed it’s infrastructure with an aim to make it a tourist spot in the world. The sports infrastructure of Qatar’s capital, Doha is incredible with an indoor facility that is largest in the world. The stadium for world cup 2022 ,is not constructed yet, and the expense for hosting the event will come up to $ 65 billion .The country will construct nine stadiums and renovate three more and equip them with solar air conditioning to make things perfect. Soccer’s ability to unite communities around the globe Soccer is one sport which has great power in uniting people across the globe .A sport has the force to change the world and inspire the people to such an extent that they forget the cultural and regional boundaries which bound them geographically.” Sport can awaken hope where there is previously only despair. Especially, soccer is one game which speaks to people in a language they can understand”(Galtung,296).When it comes to world cup the aim of the sport event is to unite the people all around the world and create a theme of brotherhood among all. It is normally believed that sports have a universal language and it has the power to cross all the boundaries and seen limitations. The people who are not the member nation of world cup event also are as passionate as member nation and treat players as their family members. Every man on the planet is passionate about soccer and is proud of the game as it brings fire and spirit in their mind and soul. This time the 2010 world cup event was successful in showing the world that, apartheid continent like Africa also has the power to host world cup. People all over the world got together in South Africa to enjoy the game and forgot about the racism and apartheid thought s in their mind. Soccer being an international game allows access to people of various languages, region and sizes. Conclusion Soccer is a game with wide popularity and people from all age group and gender enjoy this sport with equal spirit and joy. No other sport in the world has such an evident fan following and admirers. It is even argued that soccer is the best recreational activity for both the players and spectators. The soccer offers more exercise and physical competitiveness to the players and helps them to remain fit and fine. The youngster and teenagers adore this game for its adventurous nature and simplicity. A player engaging in soccer can experience a greater boost in stamina and physical strength. However the violence and injuries involved in this can be a great disadvantage to this sport. It is common thing for foot ball players to encounter injuries while playing and it can be at times fatal. Soccer is a sport played in rich as well as poor nations and in the occasion of world cup event people all across the come to spirit forgetting their boundaries. The 2010 world cup event was an appropriate example of this as thousands of people arrived in South Africa cheering the sport. At present everybody is looking at the world cup host of 2022 which is the Arab country, Qatar. Qatar is the first Middle Easter country to host world cup and it has amazed west about the enthusiasm and passion they displays in sports arena. “To host the games, Qatar will have to construct 12 brand new stadiums within a 20 mile radius. They will be dismantled after the tournament”(Carlson). This shows the dignity of soccer in the whole world and effort and hard work people take to host and stage this mesmerizing game. Bibliography Carlson, Nicholas. "The 7 Reasons A World Cup In Qatar Is So Outrageously Stupid." Business Insider. Busines Insider Inc., 03-12-2010. Web. 4 May 2011. . FIFA . "The History of FIFA World Cup." FIFA. FIFA World Cup, 1994. Web. 4 May 2011. < http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/worldcup/index.html> .Galtung, Johan. Experiments with Peace: a Book Celebrating Peace on Johan Galtungs 80thBirthday. 1sted.,. Oslo: Pambazuka Press, 2011. 296. Print. Jezek, Geno. "History Of Soccer!." Soccer Website . Geno Jezek, 2006. Web. 4 May 2011. Read More