Start Watching Soccer Like a Pro

Soccer is one of the few games that is truly represented on an international basis. Millions of fans around the world support a single club or their country in hopes that they can share in the glory happening on the pitch.

Have you dabbled with soccer but don’t know where to start? A few simple tips can go a long way toward getting you ready to watch each match with piqued interest.

Know Offsides

Before you become an expert and jump right into something like soccer betting, you need to first start with some of the basics of soccer. One of the best places to start is to know what offsides is and to master it so that there is very little confusion along the way.

It can be a tough rule to really grasp. A player is offsides when the ball is played and he’s crossed the plane that was previously set by the last defender. It takes a while to get the hang of but it can be interesting to see how offsides calls impact the game. It can also make things very frustrating if you don’t know what you’re really watching.

Watch the Stars

The best way to get the true skill and beauty of the game is to watch the very best. They have gotten to the top of the professional for a number of reasons but you can really see what it’s like when top-tier soccer is being played by watching them at their finest. For Americans watching the MLS, for example, that would mean watching Lionel Messi.

The very best of the best are there because they possess the speed, vision, technique, work rate, touch, or something that sets them apart from the rest. The more you watch, the easier it becomes to see just why they have separated themselves. It also provides a greater appreciation for the game that may not have existed because everyone else is so closely matched up with one another.

Love the Commentary

For other sports, especially in the United States, commentary can start to blend together. Some commentators are able to articulately describe what’s happening and break it down for the viewer, but that is becoming a gift that is rarer and rarer. Soccer commentary, however, is a thing of beauty in so many ways.

Soccer commentators drop some seriously spectacular lines and comments. They might call some great dribbling “magisterial” or an awful pass “agonizing.” These aren’t simply “good” and “bad” things anymore. When you feel how hyped up and important the announcers take everything, it becomes much easier to become fully invested yourself.

Know the Rivalries

Perhaps you’re ready to jump in but don’t really have a club in mind. One of the best ways to become immersed in the sport is to know some of the best rivalries going on in leagues around the world. Those aren’t just a matter of winning and losing, especially for the fan bases. It can feel like life and death. The crowds respond appropriately, rising up with their club or falling sullen when they fall behind.

The point is that these rivalries are some of the most important things in the sport. You soon understand why fans of one club are so passionate and why they take the time to cheer for the team in the first place. When you have a team of your own, it becomes very apparent why those fans are so diehard in the first place and you will quickly take your place among them as a diehard yourself.