I have decided to create a short version of how I would explain the world, or rather a girl’s
world, with soccer. This is a variation of Franklin Foer’s work How Soccer
Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization.
To the
point where I have read, I have found only one thing Franklin Foer and I have
in common; we both “suck at soccer” (1). Despite the lack of skills in the
sport, we both decided to explain different matters of the world with it. Him,
because of the “love for soccer that developed into something mad” (2). And me,
because well, I had to write a blog-post.
When walking
the halls of Centro Comercial Andino, the “power of mega-brands like the clubs
Manchester United and Real Madrid, backed by Nike and Adidas” (4) attract
desperate teenage girls who are in the middle of a search for a gift for their
boyfriends. It doesn’t matter if it’s his birthday, their anniversary, or a
reconciliation they are celebrating, giving a soccer team jersey to a boy will
always be the easiest way out. He will like any jersey, if it’s a team or
player he likes.
If you are
a girl, you will eventually have to understand that boys will sometimes like
famous soccer players such as Cristiano Ronaldo or Iker Casillas, more than
they will like you. You will have to get used to texting your boyfriend while
you look at his display picture which will probably be one of Ronaldo’s abs, or
if they recently won the Champions League, a picture of hero Sergio Ramos very
likely screaming his lungs out. I know it’s hard, scrolling down Instagram’s
newsfeed just to find out your sweetheart has liked more soccer players’
pictures than your own.
And still, us girls continue to pretend we care about the 22 men in a soccer field running after a ball.
Most of the times we will find no explanation for things that happen related to soccer. I, for instance, will try to find some in Franklin Foer's book.
