For many, Fifa is soccer. When they think of soccer they think of Fifa and the World Cup, recognizing the myriad of other leagues but relegating what soccer is to the World Cup and its related affairs. With the politics, national pride, and soccer teams competing on the biggest stage imaginable, it is easy to see how one could come to think of that. However, soccer is much more than just Fifa. Indeed, the sport itself carries much more weight and means much more to people than what one imagines when thinking of the World Cup.
In many ways, soccer means the most to the people playing it and also the people watching it. That may seem like an obvious statement, but there is more to it. Soccer as seen in so many cases is something that can bring people together. Whether that be on a national level in the world stage or just kids playing in the street, it holds true. Soccer is not just about the grand stages and audiences with the most prestigious trophies on the line. It is about community and a sense of belonging. It is about a form of art that people can appreciate and be drawn together by. This can be seen at the highest levels, it is true, however it can also be seen at any number of local leagues.
Soccer is a sport where one can find themselves and find themselves a community regardless of ethnicity or race. It is method that people have used for decades to form communities or ingrain themselves into new ones. For immigrants in some cases it would be a way to keep their old communities alive while in others it would be a way to join a new one.
While there are numerous cases of pushback against players of different race or ethnicity to the majority of where they play, it never stopped the players from being drawn to the sport. Ultimately, soccer remains a game created to have fun. It is something that can be put at the pinnacle of the sporting world or as a match between students. In either case it creates a sense of camaraderie and a multitude of connections for people who might need them.
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