BY HANNAH RAMESAR
Banners ripple in the wind as supportive fans proudly hoist and wave their team’s flags back and forth. Streaks of paint adorn their cheeks while they stand fully covered in their team’s hues. The crowd’s chants ring through the stadium as the players make their way out onto the field. With all the excitement this thrilling sport has brought to its spectators over the years, it’s a mystery as to why the American public is only recently catching on.
Soccer is known for being one of the most popular sports in the world. Formally known as “football” in most countries outside the U.S, the sport spread rapidly during the 1800s and The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was established in the year 1904. By the early 1930s, different leagues were operating from various countries. With FIFA being the governing body of association football, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, or CONCACAF, became the continental governing body for association football in the Americas and Caribbean. The United States would go on to excel in the CONCACAF Championships.
In 1990, the Confederation decided to create a tournament that would crown the regional champion, and thus the CONCACAF Gold Cup was formed. With the U.S. hosting the first competition in 1991 and winning its first-ever regional championship, the US captured the Cup by defeating Honduras 4-3 in penalty kicks. Since then, the United States has taken home the CONCACAF Championship title five times.
Following closely behind Men’s Soccer, U.S women’s soccer is also quickly catching on. The Women’s National team won the first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup Championship in China with a 2-1 win over Norway in 1991. The women qualified for the world championship by defeating its five CONCACAF opponents by a combined score of 49-0. Some say these successes were a motivator for the increasing popularity of soccer in the U.S.
Some soccer matches are now broadcast live on American television, which is something that was not often seen before. You were more likely to turn on your television and see televised golf or swimming than a soccer match. Nevertheless, NBC Sports now airs MLS and EPL games on a regular basis. American fans are now in a prime position to watch the games live next year seeing as the World Cup is being held in Brazil.
On principal, the public is more drawn to a sport when they have a strong team representing them. With the U.S. already on their way to the World Cup for the seventh consecutive time, many have sought to recruit more fans. The U.S. supporters’ group, the American Outlaws, began as a small movement of fans from Nebraska who sought to unite the American fan base beginning in 2007. As stated on their website, their mission is to support the United States National Soccer Team through a unified and dedicated group of supporters. They also maintain a code of conduct that requires all members to be passionate, abstain from violence and discrimination of any form. Their ultimate goal is to be an example of what a good fan should be. Today, they boast 93 official chapters and approximately 6,500 members. Their incredible support of the United States Men’s National Team is becoming well-known and is helping bring in new fans of the game every day.
Synonymous with the U.S. national team, Landon Donovan has left little doubt that he will be one of his team’s leading men as they embark on the 2014 games in Brazil. Along with Donovan, central defender, Oguchi Onyewu, central midfielder, Michael Bradley, striker, Jozy Altidore, goalkeeper, Tim Howard, and captain, Clint Dempsey, have all been turning heads. With an impressive cast such as this one, American supporters are sure to flock to their televisions once the World Cup commences to acclaim their team.
