The World's Game

Last summer, during the World Cup, I read the most amazing article in National Geographic about soccer, The World's Game. It was about how soccer is the most popular sport in nearly every single country on the globe--except the United States. The "beautiful game" that unites and divides countries around the globe. Soccer rules the world. And we're the only ones who think that statement is absurd. In my lifetime and culture, soccer is somewhat looked down upon. Sad. Well, as you've probably heard, the U.S. Men's Soccer Team has just added a new member: David Beckham-- the ever-handsome, married to Posh-Spice, best soccer player to ever live. This is a ploy to get Americans to fall in love with the romance of soccer as the rest of the world has been for centuries. I'm excited for it.

{UPDATE: I heard a piece on NPR this morning about the Beckhams moving to L.A. Apparently, the L.A. soccer team is not happy about Beckham joining the team. He is injured and won't even be able to play in the first (sold out) game. His team members wished they had someone younger and more able. Beckham told a story about how he walked into the locker room for the first time and introduced himself. Then one team member said "What's your name?" to what NPR called the best, most famous athlete of all time. Despite his jaw-dropping good looks and his wife's new reality TV show on VH1, he seems SO down to earth. The british accent helps a lot too.}