(Hey, warning. In this thread, every time I say 'football', I'm actually referring to what in the USA is called 'soccer'.
Reasons for that? Simply because I think 'football' sounds an awful lot better. ^^)

This is just something I was curious about. Since most people here are americans, you probably don't really like football, since it's only got its followers everywhere else.

As a brasilian, I live with football every day since the day I was born, and I learned to appreciate it in its purest forms as a sport much deeper than much can even imagine.

But curiosity is just what drove me to think of this poll. What's your opinion about football?

Football is a big thing in Latin America, but it's not in Puerto Rico. Actually, neithe of the footballs is a big thing here. I think Baseball,Basketball and maybe Boxing have most of the attention here.
Personally, I like it. But I don't actively follow it. Then again, I'm not really a sports person.

I like looking at there butts as there calling the play.

Spandex! Its all about the Spandex BABY! YEAH!! XD

Soccer is cool foo! I'm a fan os the game 8)

You're thinking American football. We're talking about soccer. Soccer doesn't have play calling in a huddle.

The only football that exists in the world is the one with the pigskin. </american>

not much into sports period really. that's just me. one of my friends is huge into soccer, half of her family is from Brazil.. she's acutally in Brazil right now.. so she always cheers for Brazil team in international play thing whatevers. in canada we got lacrosse ^____^

I played soccer for around 10 years. Great sport. I generally like sports that don't stop. Not only do I think US football is dumb for stealing the name form a sport where you DO use your feet, for a sport that may actually kick the ball a few times... but, I think that is boring to run a play... stop... talk about the next one... get in a line... run said plan... stop... talk about the next one... ect.

Back when I played, I was a mid-fielder. Either right or center... I also played defender every now and then. One of the most memorable moment when when I successfully landed a bicycle kick. Granted, I only managed to pass it to forward, or striker... or whatever you call them on your side of the planet. It was right after the goalie gave it a good punt downfield. So instead of trying to chase it down field, trap it, and return fire... I just cought up with it and biked it. ^_^

Though, I think that was probably the most eye pleasing stunt I pulled. I wanted to try a rainbow a few times, but if you mess that up... you pretty much look like a noob.

It is a rather interesting sport. I haven't watched much of it, but I enjoy alot more than the american football. When I was in school during gym, I eagerly waited to play the game. I wasn't very good, but I had fun with it. Though, I was somewhat aggressive. Once when I kicked for the ball I.... kind of made someone do a front flip. Needless to say I missed the ball.

Now, this is an eye-candy for any football fan: the best dribbler of all times. No, it's not Pelé. ^^

Garrincha, the Angel of the Bent Legs: born with the handicap of having <a href="http://www.futebolthebrazilianwayoflife.com/images/askalex/garrincha.gif">extremely bent legs</a>, he played during the late 50's and 60's for Botafogo (Brasil), and won the 1958 and 1962 world cups in the Brasilian national team.
Garrincha died in the 80's of alcoholism.

Curiosity: with him and Pelé playing together, the Brasil national team never lost a match.
And another curiosity: his skill is not just amazing, but he also makes you crack your behind off laughing. Really. Watch it =P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASBIVvT7 ... ed&search=

http://gprime.net/video.php/foottricks

I would assume that rather than steal the name, modern day (american or gridiron) football evolved over a hundred years from a soccer predecessor.

I'm a big soccer/football fan. I mention that in my profile. I don't follow it religiously in that I don't know the score of every game but I’m familiar with La Liga, the Premiership, the Bundesliga, etc.

I do follow MLS moreso and I am a big fan of the US National Team.

My favorite player all time is Dennis Bergkamp, my favorite American all time is Brian McBride.

As far as football tricks go, THIS guy is unbelievable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjQz5In70SY
The difference? He actually plays, and scores. A lot.
(Though that's only possible in hall football, 'futsal')

And <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw5xZHFfJbQ">this</a> is a video of him with Robinho, another amazingly skilled player, who plays field soccer. Definetly worth watching. =]

@ The Gnasher

So which do you like better grass football, futsal, beach football, that volleyball soccer thing, etc?

I'd say field football. My personal analysis of the other types of football:

Beach football: playing on the sand is a nightmare. Although it's nice to watch once in a while, it gets boring after a short time. Again, the sand is the only one guilty =P

Futsal: Too fast-paced, not many players, small field. Which, in the end, results in something like watching basketball: you never know what's going on and everyone just keps running around. Not my style.

Futvolley: Amazing to watch, but rare to come by. very interesting. If I had the time, I'd look more into it. But it's not a sport I'd take 'seriously', since you mostly only see it played by old uncles on the beach. =P

Now, field football. What I like best about it is the whole strategy involved. Due to the size of the field, and the quantity of players, you have to think your strategy carefully and have the domain of each area of the field, or the opponent takes control of the area. This is something not possible in too fast-paced sports or ones with a very small field.

What really drives me into football is how deep it is; how a team's performance depends on each player's individual skills, teamwork, physical condition, tactic, intelligence, and relation to the other team members. That really drives me mad, on the good sense of the word ^^

Example: if someone actually put together a team of the 11 best players in the world, say, a good national team could defeat it. Why? Because a national team is not just a 'mix-up of players', but a team in its sense; the players all know each other and have trained with each other.
That is one of the numerous factors that people don't recognize when saying that 'that team sucks', and things like that.

Perhaps, if you want to know, I'll write someday about Brasil's terrible performance in the 2006 World Cup. It's perfectly explainable. ^^
(As for USA's terrible performance in every World Cup, it's no big mistery, it's just because the sport is underrated in the country.)

Sorry if I wrote too much back there =P

You do admit that the US played well in 2002, right?

I'm sorry, I didn't exactly remember much of that WC =P
So I can't say much about USA's campaign.

But I just looked up at some numbers and news of the time, and yes, it was definetly an excellent campaign. Reaching the quarter finals is not an easy task... and it's exactly the round where almost only the deserving teams are left and all the superfluous ones have already been discarded.
I gotta say you guys caught weak teams during the campaign, though. Mexico is regular, and I don't remember Portugal being too good at the time. But that's actually a good point, since a team which has an easy passing through the games is more more relaxed and rest than one with a hard match every round.
Besides, you got knocked out by Germany... Germany is a very good team, with a long tradition of european-style strong, hard football (and there was that Oliver Kahn, the bastard...).

So, yeah, I admit you guys did great in 2002. ^^
Though I never intended to refuse it O.o
Also because it was my mistake to say they were terrible in every cup. In 1950, for instance, you got England by 1x0 and that was HUGE at the time.
I'm sure there were other ocasions in which you surprised.

Y'know, USA never shone too much, I repeat, because of the lack of interest of the country for the sport, and thus the lack of tradition.
I'd rank it as a 'weak team', but one with the potential to shine.

How come you don’t remember much of that World Cup? Brazil won it!

Other than 1950 and the first few world cups in the late 30's era, the US has not done well in international soccer until more recently.

In 1990, the made the first world cup after 40 years of not qualifying, but since that time, they have been in every one.

In WC 2002, they were excellent. Here's why:

Portugal WAS good at the time. Some had even favored them to win, because of the Golden Generation of Figo, Rui Costa, etc. but the US played them in the first game of the group stage and majorly upset them 3-2. They actually took them by surprise and had a 3-0 lead at one point in the first half.

The US also drew 1-1 with South Korea, which may not seem like much, but as a host team, South Korea beat Portugal, Spain and Italy (granted Spain and Italy were in the knock out stage), but only tied the US (in the group stage).

The US lost to Poland in their only bad performance of the tournament.

In the second round, the US beat Mexico 2-0. Mexico has long been a respectable world cup team (although not a powerhouse like Brazil, Argentina, Italy, or Germany) and Mexico has always been the best in the region of CONCACAF (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands). The US had started to lose to Mexico less and less over the last couple decades. It had gotten to the point that the US would win at home and lose in Mexico. The US started to feel like the dominant team in the region. Everyone thought that if they could get a neutral site with full strength squads, we could really see who was the best of the region. The US took over the thrown at World Cup 2002 (and despite the success of Mexico in 2006 and the failure of the US in 2006, the US still has the thrown as they beat Mexico quite recently with less than a full squad (a number of first time national teamers actually) in Bob Bradley’s and Hugo Sanchez’s first game against each respective foe, and Mexico was at full strength with Marquez, Osorio, Sanchez, Blanco, Borgetti, etc. (although the game was in the US)).

Although the US lost the game to powerhouse Germany (who ended up making it to the final game), every German will tell you that the US was the better team on the field that day. Except for the goal, the US controlled the entire game and also may have been robbed of a penalty kick when a German player’s arm contacted the ball on the goal line preventing Berhalter’s shot from finding the back of the net. Beckenbauer himself said the US should have been given a penalty kick.

The US played horrible in 2006 for a number of reasons, but there are two things to remember about that tournament:

They had a chance to advance to the next round (to play Brazil actually) by winning their last group stage game but lost to Ghana who were given a penalty kick off a horrible call in which the ref called Oguchi Onyewu for not nearly enough contact to warrant the call. Ghana converted, stole back the momentum the US had just gained from Clint Dempsey’s goal and made the deficit 2 goals to advance instead of 1.

Also, the US was the only team that did not lose to champions Italy. Although Italy and France were tied at the end of regulation in the Final, France and every other team in the tournament lost to Italy, EXCEPT the US, who drew 1-1, playing down two men with Italy only playing down one man.

You are right about the culture of American soccer, but it is growing, and the US will get better.

I have good feelings about them in 2010.

You see, I remember when the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl last month... oh wait. Wrong football. =P

I don't remember much of the 2002 World Cup because I watched it in the big screen at school, and I was like 11 years old. ^^

From what you're saying, then the USA really is gotten better.
2006 was by far the worse world cup in a long time... You realized how you just couldn't find an attacking team, no matter the match you watched? It was dull. Worst football I've seen in ages.

Besides, in Olympic (sub-20, I believe) levels, the USA simply rocks.