It’s the 90+7th minute of the game. We are 0 - 1 down to one of the worst teams in the league at home. I’m sitting down in my chair, thinking to myself, “What is actually happening man? This is the most embarrassing display I have ever seen.” Just as I was about to turn off the match, we scored. It’s now 1 - 1. I tell myself, “This is it now, surely. A draw against the worst team in the league is still pretty embarrassing, but it’s better than a loss.” Shortly after the restart, we win the ball high up the pitch. Everyone in the stadium is up on their feet now, and the noise and intensity increase as we drive the ball closer and closer to the goal. At this moment, I am on the edge of my seat, hoping for a miracle. One of our players receives the ball at the edge of the box, dribbles towards the goal, and strikes the ball. The ball flies in between the opposing defender’s legs and lands in the back of the net. 2 - 1. The whole stadium erupts, the players are celebrating like they just won the World Cup, and I am celebrating in my apartment halfway across the world. This—this is why I love soccer.
I did not always love soccer, though. For a long time, soccer was just a shadow in my mind. I had a small interest in the sport as a child, and that interest only dwindled over time. I would maybe play a game here or there with one of my friends or brothers, but I was never hooked on the sport like I am today. As a matter of fact, it would take until my senior year of high school when I finally fell in love with the sport.
The Unexpected Influence of a Videogame
You may be asking yourself right now, “Brandon, how did you even develop this passion if you largely ignored it for most of your life?” While my interest in soccer might have been low, my interest in video games was the opposite. This might seem completely unrelated at first, and it would be if it weren’t for a video game series called FIFA. I’m sure some of you have heard of this game before—it is one of the most popular sports game series in the world. However, I will briefly explain if you do not know what FIFA is. FIFA is a soccer simulation game where the player can play as hundreds of different clubs from around the world and take control of thousands of different real players. The game can be played in various single-player and multiplayer modes, and a new addition to the game is released annually.
So how did FIFA affect my interest in soccer? It was a game that we bought for the household every World Cup year when I was younger. I would sometimes play occasionally, but I never had a lot of interest in it as a child. However, as the years went by, I decided to play it more and more, gradually gaining more and more interest in it over time. It was around 2021 when I really decided to put the effort in to learn the game, and so I went and bought the newest edition of the game for myself. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made, as it really showed me what soccer was all about.
I fell in love with the series when I really gave it a shot and explored all of the features it had to offer. One feature that particularly piqued my interest was the career mode. In short, you basically manage a team and try to win them some trophies. But it was the gameplay loops and dynamic game world that really drew my interest in this game mode. This game mode introduced me to so many different aspects of the sport that were unknown to me. It introduced me to the hundreds of different clubs that exist around the world, the various competitions clubs compete in, and the vast array of tactical philosophies that are used. FIFA provided a fun environment for me to learn about the sport without feeling overwhelmed.
From the Virtual World to the Real World
As I played more and more, my interest in the actual sport skyrocketed. I started to think to myself: "Well, if I like playing this so much, maybe I should start watching some actual real games.” The only team I really knew of at the time (2021) was Tottenham Hotspur, a team playing the English Premier League. So I started watching their games to see how I liked it. It didn’t take long for my love for FIFA to translate into a strong connection with the entire sport and the team I started watching. As the season progressed, I became more and more involved with the team. I went from loosely following the matches at the beginning of the season to watching their games at every opportunity. During that season, we were in contention for the qualifying places of the UEFA Champions League—one of the best club competitions in the world. I remember the feeling I had after each passing game as the season drew on. I felt elated after each victory which brought us closer to the qualification, only to be shot down after every loss. My feelings can basically be summed up in the below chart.
In the end, a 5 - 0 victory in the very last game of the season saw us clinch the last qualification spot. Seeing my team work so hard throughout the season, up until the final matchday, to then be rewarded with a spot in the Champions League is one of my favorite moments from watching this team. At this point, I am fully invested in the team and the sport, and I am very excited for the future of the club.
A Lifelong Passion for Soccer
Now back to today. FIFA is now one of my most played games, and I have learned a lot about soccer since then. In particular, I have gained a deep interest in the tactical side of soccer. I love learning about different tactical systems and how each one can be effectively used and what circumstances warrant their usage. I find it fascinating how teams set up to break down their opponent, or how they sit back and defend to prevent the other team from scoring. FIFA definitely has its issues, but it remains as one of the most influential video games I have ever played. It really was the flame that lit the fire in terms of my love for soccer. I now have multiple jerseys of the team I support and a couple of pictures on my wall. I get up for every game—it doesn’t matter how early it is. I went from knowing nothing about soccer to analyzing what went well and what went wrong in every game I watched. The level of excitement I feel when matchday comes is something that isn’t really matched by anything else. Sure, I have witnessed some crushing defeats, but I have seen some truly incredible moments and wins. This is what soccer is----it is the crushing defeats, but also the moments of victory and excitement that keep me going. This is why I love soccer. Soccer has become a defining part of my life, and that’s all thanks to FIFA.
This blog post is super interesting. I don't really follow a lot of sports, nor do I know things about sports but I still really liked this! I really enjoy the emotional connection to sports that you described and could see how passionate you, as are many other people, are and it's cool to think about.
I really enjoyed reading your blog post. The "we're so back" and "it's so over" graph in the middle made me laugh and added to the post's content. I personally don't have a sport or team that I am super passionate about, but many of my friends and loved ones do. Their interest and excitement about it makes me excited and into it as a byproduct. I think sports as a whole are something that excel at bringing people together and fostering camaraderie.
I really relate to this post. I'm a huge fan of basketball and one of the main ways I was able to get so invested in it was the 2k game series. Reading this makes me think about trying FIFA out and seeing if I can start to get into soccer. My friends have always been huge fans of the sport and they love FIFA so it might be a fun way to learn a new sport while hanging out with my friends.
This was such a sweet and personal read. I personally am not into any sports, and I could tell you nothing about soccer. However, I am left with this feeling of happiness after reading how impactful it has been for you. It reminds me of when you try something new for the first time and are hit with the feeling of importance and "this is it." While it's not my experience, I can see through your writing how much soccer means to you and how deep the connection goes for you.
Like your stance on how someone can like playing a sports video game but not like actually playing and watching a sport. Conversely you can like playing a sport but not like watching it. It’s a personal appeal that people have. For instance a good majority like playing baseball but hate watching it on television.