The USA has many sports that they feel passionately about. There’s baseball, basketball, football, and more. Britain loves football too – but it’s not football as the US knows it. British football is basically American soccer – and they are actually pretty obsessed with it. They think tennis is OK, and they indulge in other sports occasionally, but for many, football is the be all and end all. So why is this? Read on to find out – but be warned, you might end up obsessed with it too!

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It’s A Chance To Express Love For The Place You’re From

British people usually support a few teams. They may support a local team, perhaps the town they reside in. Then they will likely support the city they live in, or the closest one to them. Then, they support England (it only makes sense). This may seem like lots of teams to keep up with, but for football obsessed Britain’s, it’s no problem. They just love a chance to express their love for the place they’re from. It makes them feel a part of something much bigger – almost fills a void!

This is why many British people look at football as a matter of life and death. Some would even say it’s far more important than that – like Bill Shankly, a former football manager. The reason football is most popular is probably down to where it came from. The history of football is really interesting!

The History Of Football

Many will tell you that Britain is the home of football. Many people believe that the sport originated in England. Football was first played during medieval times and there is evidence that the game was played as early as the year 1170. That makes football pretty ancient, and explains why it’s such a huge part of UK culture.

The FA was set up in England in 1863, and the modern rules we have today were also set up. After this time, the first football club was set up (Sheffield FC), the world’s first national competition (the FA cup) started, and the first international football match was played (England Vs Scotland) all by 1871. Now, there are over 40,000 registered football clubs in the UK. That’s more than any other country out there!

Football Is An Important Part Of Culture And The Lives Of Football Fans

For many, football is an extremely important part of the life of a football fan. Watching football and commentary on TV, reading football humour online and in the papers, going to games in person, and even participating in games can all have extremely positive effects. In fact, the most hardcore football fans are thought to be healthier mentally than those who aren’t as hardcore. Science studies found that being a hardcore football fan had a huge positive effect on the mental health of a person!

It might seem strange when a football fan blows all of their money on going to games and gets really emotional when a game doesn’t (or even when it does) go their way, but it’s a very important part of UK culture. Leave your thoughts below!