Russian Soccer

Russia is a country built on the rich traditions in ballet and gymnastics. As most of Russia is focused on the country’s main attractions, soccer has built a tradition of its own, separate from these other major sports. Like most of Europe, Russian soccer fans go crazy with national pride. Soccer in Russia has never truly become a powerhouse like most other European nations. The national team is developing like most Asian squads, trying to make a name for themselves on the world stage. In a country with strict rule and a lack in ethnic and sexual diversity, Russian soccer has become just as ignorant to these new ideas.

In recent years, the notion that there could be a nonwhite athlete inside the Russian borders has been met with outcry. When a visiting team has nonwhite athletes on the roster the stadium chants about the, “monkeys” and have been known to throw bananas at the players on the field. Zenit St. Petersburgs  fans even released a manifesto saying, “Dark-skinned players are all but forced down Zenit’s throat now, which only brings out a negative reaction”… adding that gay players were “unworthy of our great city.”

Usually when a group of people fight for tradition it means they are scared of some great, non-existent threat. We see it when gay couples want marriage equality and when atheists fight for equal space in front of a courthouse during the winter. It seems that some Russian soccer fans are scared of their tradition being taken away from them, with minority soccer players taking over their “pure” sport.

The World Cup has always been a mecca for racism between rival nations, but in 2018 the World Cup is headed to Russia. Leaders around the world have come out and said that security will need to be much stricter, fearing for the wellbeing of their players. The World Cup is the most hostile event in the world and takes more security than any other sporting event. The World Cups traditions of heated rivalries and hostile crowds mixed with the soccer (social) traditions of Russia has FIFA wondering if the 2018 World Cup was placed in the best location for the wellbeing of soccer.

Next week we head to our Northern border as we travel to the world’s second largest country, Canada. Soccer in North America is a fairly new sport compared to the rest of the world. Canada is slowly building a quality soccer program on the women’s side while the men’s teams have not progressed quite as easily. Join us next week on World Soccer Traditions.

Japanese Soccer

In Japan, soccer is a relatively new sport quickly becoming one of the most popular sports in the country behind baseball. The Japanese men, nicknamed Samurai Blue after the colors of their jerseys, are one of the highest ranked Asian teams in the world. The Women’s national team, nicknamed Nadeshiko Japan, is the defending World Cup champion after beating the defending champion United States. They were the first Asian team, both for men’s and women’s, to win soccer’s biggest prize. Both have quickly made a name for each other in Asia as well as becoming one of the most respected Asian teams around the world.

Competitive soccer in Japan is organized into a pyramidal system similar to that in many European leagues. At the top of the hierarchy is the professional level called the J.League. Next is the semi-professional level called the Japan Football League, followed by the regional and then by the prefectural leagues, which are within their region of the country. The relatively new J.League was started in 1993 and it is currently comprised of three divisions - J. League Division 1 (J1), J. League Division 2 (J2) and J. League Division 3 (J3). Being a relatively young league, the number of teams in the J.League has been changing since its inception, with each division having around one to two dozen teams. Several thousand teams from the professional to the high school level, furthermore, participate in an annual knockout tournament, The Emperor's Cup. The final game of the cup is held every year on January 1.

The Japan Football Association was founded in 1921, inspired by the English Football Association's presentation in 1919. The Japanese soccer body for the sport would have been delayed if not for the dedicated efforts of William Haigh, a British diplomat in Japan. The advancement of soccer was delayed during the war effort.  In the early 1990’s, Japan wanted to refocus their effort on soccer, therefore, creating the J.League. In 2002, Japan cohosted the World Cup with South Korea which helped promote the sport in Japan and represented what Japan had to offer to the soccer world.

Until this point soccer had never truly developed in Asia. After that World Cup, soccer started to take off around Asia. Today Australia and Japan are the most developed soccer countries in Asia. Occasionally another country develops a quality roster but Japan in a mainstay in Asian soccer, especially the women’s game. Look for Japan to keep climbing the ranking s in the soccer world and compete for a men’s World Cup in the near future.

Next week we head into multi-continental Russia and take a look at the soccer traits that link them to both Asia and Europe. Russia has a storied soccer history but never has claimed greatness like most European countries soccer. Come join us next week as we continue our quest around the globe.

Brazilian Soccer

“The English invented the game, but the Brazilians perfected it.” This week we will travel to Brazil, which has a rich tradition of harvesting the top players in the world. Players such as Ronaldinho, Pele, Ronaldo, and Kaka have been touted as some of the best players of their generation. Ronaldinho and Pele are both names that frequently pop up when arguments about the “best player ever” are thrown around. Brazil is a perennial favorite every time the World Cup rolls around. Brazil is the only country to win the World Cup a record 5 times while also being the only country to have qualified for every Cup since its inception in the 1930's. This coming World Cup in the summer of 2014 will be taking place in the heart of South American soccer in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

                Football arrived in Brazil in 1894 from two Britons, Charles Miller and Oscar Cox.  The sport was sculpted around the English style of play before those unique strongholds started to fade. Brazilians began to transition from a game of long balls and brute force to a tactical battle. Soccer quickly swept the region and the sport of soccer transitioned to the rest of the world into what has become the most widely played sport in the world. Around the world Brazilian players and coaches are coveted by professional squads to help teach the Brazilian style of soccer. As of this season there are over 600 Brazilian soccer players playing the sport in the Europe’s top leagues.

The Brazilian style of soccer consists of each player advancing their skills and techniques within a youth soccer development program in Brazil. Brazilian soccer is the perfect combination of discipline and skill, mixed with a cultivated imagination. This is achieved through highly specialized training on an ongoing basis. Coaches are broach in to teach players the special training drills, but Brazilians start from an early age. In addition, many of the top players have played Futsal during their youth, which contributed to their skills development. Futsal is like soccer but with a much smaller furry ball. Brazil is also the only country to have won the Futsal World Cup a record six times. 

Today the Brazilian style is starting to be questioned. The national team has failed to contend in the last two World Cups, which to their standards is the longest drought in the countries soccer history. As Brazilian players move to play in the European leagues the players have begun to adapt their style of play changing the culture of the sport back in the homeland.

Next week we will move away from South America, and take our first steps into Asia. We will jump into the short history of Japanese soccer and how the sport has grown over the last decade. Although the sport is newer than in most nations the game is quickly growing and Japan is beginning to produce athletes of the European caliber. Come back next week a join us for our trip to Japan.

Andrés Escobar own goal (World Cup 1994: USA - Colombia)

Dirty Soccer: Columbia

In Colombian soccer had become way more than just a sport. It had become a source of power for the Colombian drug lords. In the early 1990’s, Colombian soccer had hit is peak as one of the world’s highest ranked soccer teams but tragedy took the squad on a roller coaster ride into the darkness soccer history. In 2013 the Colombian team qualified for their first World Cup since the 1994 scandal that took the world stage.

Colombian soccer had always been funded in secret by Colombian cocaine dealers prior to 1994. At that year’s World Cup Columbia was a favorite not only in their group but to win the entire tournament. Columbia needed a win against the United States in their final match in order to move through to the bracket play. Early in the match, a ball shot off the foot United States forward John Harkes, awkwardly bounced of the foot of Colombian Captain Andres Escobar causing an own Goal. The United States eventually went on to win the match 2-1 eliminating the world’s top ranked team from contention.

When the national team arrived back into Columbia there were riots and threats at the life of Escobar. A few nights later he talked to a fellow teammate about not being scared and just wanted to get on with his life. He decided to go out to a night club where he was murdered by the body guard of Pablo Escobar, the most notorious Colombian dealer. The body guard only served 11 years of the 48 year prison sentence in the murder of Andres Escobar.

After the scandal which stained Colombian soccer history, the government cracked down on the drug funding. The Colombian government was criticized around the world for allowing the drug lords to fund the national team.  The Colombian Authorities cut drug funds toward the national team shortly after. Soon after the national soccer program went bankrupt and didn't have enough money to fund scouting and youth program leading to the demise of soccer in Columbia.

In the upcoming World Cup this summer the Columbia is again a favorite. They will be entering the first tournament since the 1994 World Cup. Columbia lost generations of soccer talent because there was a lack of funding and could never afford to get back on the world stage. Funding has recently been reinstated by undisclosed sources. They have built their program from near scratch and look to avenge there embarrassing loss to the United States.

Next week we will move to Columbia’s neighbor Brazil. Brazil is arguably the greatest soccer country in the world. They have won five World Cups and are home to the greatest soccer player of all time Pele as well as other soccer greats. Ronaldinho, another Brazilian great, has been heralded as top five player of all-time and one of the top technical players in history. Hope you join us next week as we delve into soccer greatness.

Mexican Soccer

Mexico proclaims to be the most soccer crazed country in the world. In Mexico, soccer is what keeps people going. Although Mexico has become overrun with drug lords, the people look to soccer as their way out. Mexico has always been looked at as the little brother of the United States and soccer becomes the equalizer. When player on the Mexican national team enters the pitch they tear the grass right out of the ground and say a prayer. Each player always wears a t-shirt with the face of the last person who died in their family. When the player scores a goal they rip off their jersey showing their fallen person. Mexico has helped to change the game of soccer whether it was for better or worse the country has developed a tactical flop that has revolutionized Mexican soccer.

Mexican soccer has always been built on a strong tactical game with fluent passing from player to player. Although they are quick with their feet, they lack the height that most countries have to spare. The great equalizer is the flop. Across the field for the entire duration of the game Mexican national players are falling all over in dramatic fashion. The player moves swiftly across the open field and as soon as a rival player makes any contact the Mexican is flailing to ground like a dropped tamale.

Mexico isn't the only country that flops by all means every country in the world has a few "floppers" on the roster.  I’m not railing on Mexico but the way they play soccer has quickly moved around the world. Flopping in soccer didn't actually start in Mexico, but in Brazil. Brazil has won multiple World Cups and has become one of the most respected soccer countries in the world. Mexico has perfected the flop and created a culture in their sport that fits their style of play. Although they are smaller in stature flopping allows the team to take free kicks. The Mexican tactical game is so strong that a free kick allows them to take the perfect shot and create chaos inside the goalie box.

Mexico has hosted World Cups and even won the gold medal at the last Olympics. The U17 (under 17 years old) even won the last World Cup for their age group. The future is always bright for their young squad even as they have gone through the resent struggles in the past few years.

As we move from Mexico we will move to another country riddled with drugs, Columbia. This South American titan had grown to become a powerhouse soccer team in the 80’s. Columbia has recently returned to become one of the top teams in the world. Next week we look at this countries sketchy soccer history where drugs and soccer are intertwined.

German Soccer

When the German national team takes the field, all of Germany lights up the television screen in hopes that their county can retain their status top team in the world. German soccer has been overshadowed by the heartbreaking losses in the final stages of world play over the last decade.  In each of the last three world cups Germany has made it in to the semifinals before being beaten by either themselves or an inferior soccer nation. In the last two European Championships, the Germans have made it to the finals and semifinals respectively only to have their hopes dashed by the Spanish and Italians.

                Although championships have eluded them in recent year’s fans still go crazy for their beloved team. Germans were always known as the country for stressing over the game until the final tally was official, drinking a few beers and hitting the hay. Now, they're donning silly wigs, draping the bonnets of their BMWs in German flags and racing through town at high speed chanting "Deutschland" into the early hours.

Hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets of German cities after their national team’s matches during the night draped in their national colors, whooping, cheering, hugging each other and honking their car horns to celebrate their teams. But few could have believed that their team either warranted that kind of reaction or has much chance of winning the next match because of recent failure in later rounds of world events.

In recent years Germany has evolved into a country that parties all night as fans paint the city in support of German victory over their foes. Fans congregate in the nearest city for “Carnival.”  The carnival atmosphere has been completed by a new wave of football fancy dress consisting not just of team shirts but of black, red and gold feathery garlands worn around the neck along with face paint and funny glasses.

                Similar to an American city after their team wins a major championship. All of Germany rushes to party the night away as a result of a German win in pool play during the world cup. Recently to enhance the experience Berlin puts televisions throughout the city in order to create a fan friendly experience. Each match is like the Super Bowl and the Super Bowl happens about five times a year in Germany on a down year.

                Next week we will look at Mexico as we travel outside of Europe to North America. The Mexicans have a variety of unique traditions that separate themselves from the rest of the world. They have a rich history in soccer that hasn't necessarily led to world dominance but to love of the game.