Why do you like watching football?

[that412]

I prefer soccer to hockey because hockey is just too...frenetic, for lack of a better word. It's an incredibly difficult sport to play and the nature of it is that the players just have less control over the puck than soccer players have over the ball. I also appreciate a sport where pure physical aggression is not a part of playing defense.

[Ariete]

Football is at best art. A coreographed ballet. What I like the most in football is that it's an ultimate team sport, and the tactical element extends to all levels. In some other sports, like basketball, two or three superior individuals can win the game practically on their own, despite the opponent playing better as a team. In football having three Messi's can't win the game without the constant help of all their teammates. The oldest saying in fotball is that if you have 11 individuals on the pitch, you can't win the game.

As for the tactical element, there's more possibilities for the weaker team to come out with an win if their tactics, wits, and concentration is better despite lacking in quality. And it extends to the individual player as well. He most remain sharp all the time, conserve his strength, and ponder what decision would be best in this particular moment. In hockey you skate a bit, make a check, take a shot and head back for the booth. As the pitch is large, it gives much more creative freedom and allows you to move cleverly outwitting the opponent, while in say, basketball you're restricted to a small pitch and have to rely mostly on speed and technical skill to succeed.

Also what is great in football is the constant psychological pressure. Everyone knows that one goal, one mistake can be enough, and you'll lose. No wonder that many of the goals are scored in the last 10 minutes, when players begin to be too tired to remain focused all the time. Of course the pressure is tremendous in other sports as well, but often it is during a particular situation, but in football it's on for 90 minutes.

One more thing, football is suitable for most types and sizes of persons. You can be 170 cm (5'7) like Messi, and be a superstar. Try to be that in American football or basketball, of course it's possible, but very improbable. You can also be 6'10 and be successful. Or a player with very adequate technical skills can be a successful defender or goalscorer just because he's so damn good at anticipating and reading the game and his concentration never fails.

Of course the cultural aspect is tremendous as well, when football is a truly global sport. If Finland plays against Spain it's David vs Goliath and a huge match. If it's Finland vs Spain in hockey it's the opposite David vs Goliath, but nobody cares. Some probably don't even know if they play hockey in Spain.

[Agram]

I played rugby as kid in organized fashion, and soccer only on street like every kid in Croatia does. Reason I started going to games is because my uncle took me to one when I was about 12, I saw half stadium light up in flares and that was it, I was there every game till I moved to US Definitely had more to do with tribalism and atmosphere and following city's club and being 3rd generation than with sport itself.

It's bit more subdued in US, but there are still enough guys that will sit in car for 24 hours just to see game in Chicago to make it as fun. Maybe even more so since America north of rio grande is still like untapped frontier so it appeals to creative part of me

[Bjorn_Ironside32]

Because they don't stop, and because they don't have a commercial break every 2 minutes.

[Tagus Crows]

Football is an easy, fun game that can be played by everyone.