As an American who went to public schools, things like
geography, world history, economics, and international relations were not
exactly my strengths. But that’s okay, because I found a better way to learn:
watching football. I have learned more about those subjects and more from being
a football fan, and had lots of fun learning, too. In fact, everything I ever
needed to know I learned from football.
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| This attendance map of Italy for last season is also how I see Italian geography |
Geography: Not
only can I find so many more places on a map now that I have been watching
football, I can name many more countries, too. I can also name their capital
cities, identify their national flags, and am even familiar with their national
anthems. If you asked me about Turkey, for example, I could tell you that
Ankara is the capital city. But Istanbul is the largest city, and also the
place where the Champions League Final was held in 2005. I don’t care to
remember any more about that.
World History: It
is not unusual to see footage of ancient ruins or sites nearby when a big match
is played. But it is also interesting to learn how some football rivalries even
today have been influenced by events years ago, even hundreds of years ago. Or
to have matches compared to famous battles that took place in the past. Even
the game itself has a rich history of its own. Football may be being played
today, but it and its fans and rivalries have evolved from the pages of
history.
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| This cathedral took nearly 600 years to complete and is the iconic landmark for Milano |
Economics: If you
are a Serie A fan, you’ll know first hand how football and economics go hand in
hand. And I’m not talking transfer fees and wage bills, either. There has been
a mass exodus of quality/expensive players since Italy’s economy tanked, and a
mass exodus of fans, too. A healthy economy lends itself to a strong league.
International
Relations: during the recent international break, Russia came to Montenegro
to play a Euro qualifier. But within the first minute, a Montenegrin fan threw
a flare at the Russian keeper and burned him, causing the match to be
abandoned. While that was obviously a stupid thing to do, one would need to
understand the climate influencing Mr. Stupid. For example, Montenegro
acknowledges Kosovo’s independence, but Russia does not. And Montenegro is also
looking to join NATO, which Russia does not want them to do, either. So while
it was a very stupid thing to do, it was also based on an enmity built from
current relations between the two countries. As are so many events within and
surrounding football matches.
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| Life is not fair, but if you're respectful and keep your cool, calls will go in your favor, too |
But these are just a few of the things I’ve learned from
football. For example, I’ve also learned that life isn’t always fair, but if
you are patient, the ref calls will usually also swing in your favor at some point.
I learned that nothing is worth getting up early for… except football, even
when it’s a loss. Also that you can legitimately call in sick to work on
gamedays if necessary… it’s called football fever, and it’s not only very
serious, but also highly contagious. And that having a savings account entitled
“Milano” as a Milan fan is perfectly healthy and highly recommended if you are
looking to travel to that great city again for another match.
You can have your college degrees, your books and papers. But
I’ll take football as my university any day of the week. Not only has it
provided me with a passionate sport to spend my every spare waking moment on, a
sport that makes me feel like no other, but it has also opened my eyes to the
world and taught me things that books never could. Everything I ever needed to
know I learned from football, and that’s how I’m teaching my kids, too.
This post inspired by the music of
Animotion’s “Obsession”
Our next match is
Milan vs. Sampdoria
Sunday, April 12 • 20:45 CEST (2:45pm EDT)