Fast forward to the end of this week (incidentally the end of the first round as well) and my body clock is busted because I try to catch the early morning games. I catch myself watching 2-hour long matches and shouting when players make (or almost make) goals. I've turned into one of them.
How did this happen? How did I become a football fan?
I play ultimate disc. Perhaps that helped in my appreciation of football. In disc, I like offense where we pass the disc to the open player. We just keep on passing to the sides till we find a clear opening, then we move the disc forward. That's what first caught my eye about football. And when you realize how hard it is to control a ball without using your hands, their passing becomes all the more astonishing.
I have friends who still don't get football. Their main complaints are that: it takes such a long time to score a goal, it's a low scoring game, and there are ties.
Well, I completely appreciate all those things now.
I think it all boils down to how difficult it is to play the game. Watching the world's best players not play well showed me just how hard the game is. Then seeing brilliant teams execute precise control of the ball just showed me how talented they really are. The individual play is amazing too. How the hell do they do that? When a player is able to move the ball past pesky defenders, especially in such tight spaces, and they somehow contort their bodies to swing that ball into the net, that's artistry right there. Also, the ball does something that the disc also does that I just love: it curves.
Scoring a goal is no easy feat. It takes a tremendous amount of team skill. You have to know where your teammates are. You have to make precision passes--with your feet nonetheless. You have to break a solid defensive line and find a way for the ball to make it through. And beyond the last string of defenders, there's this guy who can actually use his hands and is leaping all over the place.
Goalkeeper saves are a beautiful thing to watch as well. It's body bending to will.
Regarding draws, it takes forever to score a goal and you don't even know if a team will make one so you really have to stop at a draw. It's okay. A win has more points than a draw anyway. And draws are only allowed during qualifying. When you're down to the quarters, you go to the shootout.
I don't understand how a shootout can not be exciting. The striker is expected to make the shot. The goalkeeper isn't expected to block it. Given those two assumptions, you wait for someone to incredibly mess up or incredibly defy expectations. It's as exciting as freethrows with seconds left on the clock. You hang on to every bit of action. You know the game lies in the balance.
For me, the length of time it takes to score a goal adds to the anticipation. If you only watch highlights, it isn't as meaningful. You have to watch every single second. You have to be part of the collective and want every pass and dribble to be perfect as you will your team to all somehow synchronize their thoughts and movements and score an amazing point.
The clincher, football is also a metaphor for life.
Aspirations are not served on a silver platter. It takes a tremendous amount of skill, discipline, and patience for many elements to fall into place. A touch of luck helps as well. The gameplay is long because like most things that matter, you have to work for them and be patient before you get them.
It's a low scoring game. As in our lives, we are only given so many chances for defining moments. You have to cherish those little opportunities that you get. You have to be at your best. The right moment paired with the right skill, leads to success.
And when you do score, know that although 1-0 is already a big thing, it doesn't mean that it's a sure win.
Many little things--and lots of persistence and patience--lead to greatness. Such is life and such is what makes football a beautiful game.
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