Soccer or Football??

We’re in the middle of an exciting time here in Ethiopia, actually for the entire continent of Africa. It doesn’t make many headlines in the US, but everyday here people are talking about the World Cup – the international football (or soccer) championship that’s currently being played in South Africa. I think it’s about the equivalent of March Madness.

Being from America, soccer ranks probably around 9th place on my favorite sports list. But it’s quickly climbing now this year – I think it just passed NASCAR. As I’ve added many international friends over the years, I realize how much the rest of the world loves this sport, and how we don’t. One of my British friends would say, “so you Americans call that sport where you kick the ball your feet soccer, but the sport where you carry the ball in your hands you call football.” Then he’d just shake his head.

It’s the first time the World Cup has been hosted in Africa. It’s amazing to hear everyone talking about the games each day. We hear the cheers rise from local restaurants or bars when an African team scores. Earlier this year the World Cup trophy was displayed here in Addis and many people bought tickets to just go see the trophy. They televise all the games for the entire tournament on our one TV station, and they have converted the event center here into an 8,000 people theater to watch the games on a big screen. We watched a game this week between Germany and Ghana with our friends from Germany and Ghana. They had their soccer jerseys and national colors on, were cheering for every shot at the goal and jeering the other team.

Not many profound thoughts here, but an appreciation for people’s pride in their countries and continents. I don’t have that much passion for US soccer, let alone for the Mexico team or some Canadian sport. It’s refreshing to see. But the US has made the final 16 teams, and they play Ghana (Africa’s last team remaining) today, so I’m going to try my best.