The Beautiful Game

With the World Cup around the corner and incredible qualifying matches happening this month, it feels appropriate to make a post about the most popular sport in the world.....fútbol .

The reason fútbol is so popular is because it is a simple game. All you need to play, is a ball. Even if you don’t have a ball, kicking around a tin can creates the same amount of fun. The wealthiest aristocrat can play as well as the most humble child, fútbol has no social restrictions.

This is one of the reasons I have come to love Madrid. You see the sport everywhere. Children dribbling a ball on the street, a pick up game happening in the park; there are few people that do not enjoy the sport. While in the United States you see basketball courts in every corner, here in Madrid you see fútbol pitches. There are goal posts in the dirt, in grass, turf, wooded floors and concrete. Try a slide tackle on that! But even with scrapes and bruises it is hard to stop playing. You have a rush of adrenaline running through you body and your heart beating at your chest forcing you to run faster, and fight harder to score a goal.

In conclusion, when you are in Spain I highly recommend going to a pick up game and playing with the locals. Every time I have gone to play, everyone has been extremely friendly. During the game there may be some yelling and aggressive tones but that is just fútbol talk. At the end of the day everyone is talking to everyone and they will definitely be asking you a lot of questions or even invite you for a drink.