Why do football fans go crazy?
FOOTBALL FANS, mad dogs and diehards alike will tell you there is nothing like football – the emotional highs and lows, the joy and despair, the heart-pounding exhilaration, and the jubilation when a goal is scored, and the final whistle. But, there is more.
Consider the Netherlands and Germany World Cup match. The camera caught Frank Rijkaard of the Netherlands, angry at being shown a yellow card, spitting on the German Voeller’s head. After another confrontation later in the match, the duo were sent off. Rijkaard again spat on Voeller while walking off. The German media branded the Dutchman ‘llama’ for his spitting prowess.
In the 2014 World Cup, Uruguay vs Italy, Luis Suarez and Giorgio Chiellini of Italy tussled, resulting in the Italian falling to the ground. Chiellini then pulled his shirt to reveal bite marks. Suarez had done it again (bitten an opponent three times in a match). Frustration caused his dental outburst, claimed Suarez. Or, was it frustration that he didn’t get a bigger bite?
In the 2006 WC final, the mercurial Zinedine Zidane of France, who already won the Golden Ball award for being the best player in the tournament, head-butted the Italian, Marco Materazzi. The Italian later admitted he had made a rude comment about Zidane’s sister.
And, my favourite: In the quarter-finals in 1986, with the game poised at 0-0, Maradona of Argentina scored a goal, punching the ball into the net. Everyone had seen his hand, well everyone, except the referee and the linesman. Maradona later claimed he had used his head with a little help from the hand of God. Which makes us wonder if God is partial to football, sins and all. God does work in mysterious ways.
BAD FOR HEALTH
Football can be bad for your health. Take Escobar of Colombia, who unfortunately misfired by slicing the ball into his own net against the USA in 1994. The match ended in a 2-1 victory for the USA.
A few days later, he was shot dead, allegedly in an act of revenge for his mistake. The fans are not exempt from deadly encounters. The English are especially serious about football, dead serious, in fact. Remember the Liverpool fans, crushed to death at Hillsborough Stadium in 1989.
So, why is a game in which two teams of 11 players trying to kick a ball in their opponent’s goal so popular? The most popular (and most sinful and arguably most corrupt) sport in the world? Why?
It is global, easily accessible, not expensive, intense, action-packed footballing with a little help from biting, head-butting, spitting, brawling, elbowing, pushing the ref, blatant cheating (hand of God), faking injury (diving and exaggerated injury), kung fu kicking, and breaking a leg or two.
So, why is a game in which two teams of 11 players trying to kick a ball in their opponent’s goal so popular? The most popular (and most sinful and arguably most corrupt) sport in the world? Why?