It has been more than a hundred years since FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, was formed in Paris, France, in 1904. This was truly the beginning of organized international play, and they must have got it right, because the growing interest , in world football, it’s really amazing.
From its humble beginnings, the game has grown in popularity to become the sporting phenomenon that it is today. If horse racing is the sport of kings, then soccer is the king of sports! Every four years, a national team is crowned world champion to the delight of its faithful subjects.
Since its creation in 1930, the World Cup has been won, in almost equal measure, by European and South American countries. However, talented players are emerging from other continents, Australia, Africa, Asia, and even the United States, which hosted the main tournament in 1994. Surely, it won’t be long before a team from one of these other nations makes it to the tournament. top.
Football clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and many others mirror their host cities and have become household names, far beyond their city limits. The most famous of the many professional players are instantly recognizable. The sport has attracted rich and successful men as presidents, with top players and managers earning earnings comparable to those of pop singers and movie stars.
The popularity of football has grown, not only because of the fanatic supporters that flood the turnstiles of the huge stadiums. Large sums of money are paid for live television and other rights. As a result, major games are watched by millions of armchair fans, many of whom subscribe to satellite and related media services. Air travel has become less expensive and more accessible, so fans can fly to support their teams, wherever they play. International soccer stars often sign for clubs outside of their home countries and charge massive transfer fees.
There is no doubt that international football is a gigantic business. From ticket money to media rights, sponsorships and replica team apparel, a sporting colossus has emerged. Children, and also adults, want to wear the colors of their favorite players or clubs. They kick balls around sports fields, parks, vacant lots, and quiet streets. Young people practice and aspire to develop that additional expertise that would catapult them into a life of fame and wealth. Most will go on to accomplish other things, but every once in a while, a boy wonder will appear, to dazzle and entertain, with the world at his feet!