Globalization is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide (What is Globalization, Undated). It was in the 20th century that globalization became dominant as the world began to interact. Although capitalism is said to be the driving force of globalization, there is also the idea that many cultural aspects get globalized (Vanham, Undated). One of these cultural exchanges was sports, and the excitement that it brings to people allowed it to diffuse very quickly. Many different sports emerged during the increase of industrialization and competition, they became the safe way to relieve social and economic stress, and they gave a way to settle national conflicts that is not wars that society needed at the time. Sports were used to compete with people, countries, communities, etc., and gave people identities. An example of the sport played during this time was cricket. The English game spread across the world its empire, leading colonies like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India to adopt the game from their colonial motherland (Clio’s Current, 2015). Another sport to first develop a strong global profile was tennis. It was played in many first-world countries and was played like how we play sports today. People in the past would set up semi-official tennis tournaments and invite skilled players to compete in them. Winning these tournaments gave you “celebrity” status and the winner received a prize (Clio’s Current, 2015).
Although sports like tennis and cricket may have pushed the boundaries of globalization and were the first few sports to do so, the sport that did it the best and the sport that is a main factor of cultural diffusion is football/soccer. Soccer is a simple game to play however it has many reasons why it is the most participated sport in the world. These reasons include the cost of playing the game is very cheap, it can be played virtually anywhere, and it does not need much training and learning to play (Football History, Undated). During the times when society was divided into a hierarchy and when many people did not have the opportunities to experience a lot due to the economy, soccer was a way for them to do so. Since soccer is essentially the idea of kicking a circular object at someone or something, people of all wealth and status can find a way to play the game (Football History, Undated). Meaning that soccer became globalized and spread throughout the world. Soccer evolved from a village activity to becoming the world’s most-played sport. Through its history, it is understandable why it has such a great spatial diffusion.
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Soccer has a long history. Some forms of soccer with different rules and variations were played in ancient China, Greece, Rome, and Japan. Most of these games included the use of hands, feet, and even sticks to control a ball (Crocombe, 2019). However, the soccer we know today is traced back to England. Soccer began to evolve in modern Europe. Somewhere around the 9th century, entire towns in England would kick a pig’s bladder from one landmark to another (Football History, 2019). Crocombe stated that the game was even banned during some periods in Britain’s history due to it being a nuisance. Early games pitted mob-like massive teams against one another. Since standard rules were not enforced, it was played very violently. This way of playing soccer would decline due to legal concerns and more people had less leisure time to play. Soccer that we are more familiar with began in public schools in Britain at the beginning of the 19th century (Crocombe, 2019). In the private school system “football” was a game in which people would use their hands and feet, but otherwise, the modern idea of soccer was being formed (Story Map Tour, Undated). Goals were present and the introduction of goalkeepers was seen in these games. However, the rules still varied: some resembled rugby, while others preferred kicking and dribbling. The rules and regulations of soccer would continue to evolve in Britain. During these times sport was a pastime in many places, but English public schools enabled the formation of soccer by forming teams that would compete against other schools. In the mid-80s the “Cambridge Rules” were established at Cambridge University (Crocombe, 2019). Allowing students to move up in ranks as they graduated, resulting in adult soccer clubs becoming more common. However, this time in soccer history still allowed the players to handle the ball with their hands. On October 26, 1863, the formation of the Football Association occurred. They had a discussion of how soccer should be played, including what is the official ruleset that Britain would accept and use. They created the rules like how carrying the ball is banned, and the practice of shin-kicking and tripping would also be banned (Crocombe, 2019). As time would pass many more clubs would join this association leading to many people playing “professionally.” People demanded compensation for their training and game time leading them to get paid and make a living through soccer (Story Map Tour, Undated). Many people also started spectating games and formal tournaments were finally being played. By 1900, soccer became England’s national sport over cricket. The idea of soccer and how it was heavily enjoyed in Britain began spreading across the globe and many people were interested in it (Clio’s Current, 2015).
It did not take long for other European countries to grow their love for soccer. Leagues began popping up throughout the world, for example, countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, Argentina, Chile, Switzerland, and Belgium would all form a league in response to Britain. France who had adopted the British sport long ago did not form their league until 1903 (Crocombe, 2019). Several large technological improvements helped individuals familiarize themselves with the game and the players playing them. This included media coverage which is a big factor in exposing large groups to soccer. However, many nations did not get this coverage and they did not hold the right technological advancement to fully grasp the idea of soccer. Many countries outside of Europe had other ways they were introduced to the game. For example, people in Korea decided to try soccer after being exposed to it through British soldiers traveling to their country. Leading for Korea to form teams and have an organized soccer club (Story Map Tour, Undated). The diffusion of soccer was also due to the help of European soldiers who introduced soccer to other areas of the world. This included them introducing soccer to South America, Africa, Asia, and even deeper areas in Europe. They helped showcase the game through “pickup games.” (Football History, Updated). This was a small soccer game that had the Brits play against the locals of the land. Which later ignited the spread of the game to Argentina. Eventually, South America would form its own organization with over 300 clubs. After the introduction in South America national teams would introduce the game to various tribes and ethnic groups further expanding soccer’s spatial diffusion. This caused the game to be played in many different styles but still following the overall rules and objectives set by Britain (Story Map Tour, Undated).
This sport gave a great influence on the different continents. Europe's colonization influenced Africa in countless ways, many of them looked down upon. However, troops stationed at certain locations in Africa helped introduce the sport to many Africans, this included the introduction to many African nations such as Rhodesia. This introduction would later give Africans an activity to spend their free time gaining better skills at the game. Another continent that was affected was Asia (Crocombe, 2019). Places such as China were introduced to soccer through sailors and expatriates. The process in which it happens all happens the same, it came from soldiers who would play pick-up games while waiting at the docks. An Asian country that was heavily influenced was India. Britain’s hold on India was quite strong, therefore so was the presence of British ways of life. Iran would also pick up the sport and will eventually allow the formation of a national team but was halted any competition due to the game’s ties with the Western World (Crocombe, 2019). Soccer in America came from immigrants who entered the States in search of well-paying jobs and freedom, due to the grand industrial expansion the State was experiencing. It was not long until America adopted the game and formed its own league. As shown in figure 1 soccer became very influential in many countries. It is showing that it was even adapted that many countries have adopted it as their most played sport, this all stemming from the British soldiers bringing the sport over and giving people interest.
Soccer that is played today has grown way more since the beginning in Britain. It has spanned its influence in many places on Earth. The many professional players playing the game also have great diversity. They come from a span of different cultures. A great example of someone who took the game to another level is a player named Pelé. He is arguably the greatest player to ever play this game. He grew up in poverty and his access to education and basic human necessities was very low. This resulted in him spending a lot of time with his friends kicking around a ball made from sticks inside of a sock (Story Map Tour, Undated). He was eventually asked to try out to be on a team by the coach. By the age of 17, Pelé was playing in the Brazilian national team and was famous for the unique play style he gained from not having a real soccer ball and just having fun with his friends (Story Map Tour, Undated). At one point in America, soccer virtually disappeared and got replaced by baseball. However, Pelé who came out of his retirement after winning three world cups in Brazil formed a team when Pelé made his way to America caught the team's American eye. The first match played by this team saw 10 million viewers on American TV (Story Map Tour, Undated). This helped ignite the North American Soccer League and Pelé helped in popularizing soccer in both Brazil and the US. Not only that but many soccer players today that everyone admires comes from different countries as well. This includes the players known as Lionel Messi a player from Argentina and a player known as Cristiano Ronaldo a player born in Portugal. The past century has proven successful in the world of soccer. Players like Ronaldo and Messi and their rivalry helped introduce soccer around the world by showcasing their play and skills that they have on soccer (Story Map Tour, Undated). This highlights the significance soccer has on many nations and the diffusion it has in the world. Figure 2 it is showing that players come from all over to play soccer and those people also have big influences on their country. Further expanding the fact that soccer’s spatial diffusion is very large. A big contributor to this case is the FIFA World Cup which happens every four years. This competition is the same exact meaning sport had in the past. To settle some rivalry between countries. The FIFA world cup pins soccer teams together but instead of league teams, the team is comprised of people from the same country (Football History, Undated). This event gains a lot of attraction and is watched by the entire world. This competition housed 32 nations competing against each other and having their entire country root for them (Football History, Undated). Not only that but soccer is also in the Olympics the most-watched sporting event of all time. Further expanding the spatial diffusion soccer has. We also made strides into furthering that by giving women an equal pedestal to play soccer. This gave many female people from different countries who were interested in the game a platform to inspire people and influence the world.
Throughout time the British and European influence across the globe are more than just negative. They helped bring over a beautiful game enjoyed by millions worldwide in many different countries. Through its complex history, it is seen why soccer has such a great spatial diffusion. From the beginning of the sport in small ancient time villages, the sport has evolved greatly. Starting from being played in Britain with their hands and the use of violence, to the spreading throughout the world by the soldiers going to different countries and influencing people. How soccer is played today with many different teams competing really shows just how big soccer is. In conclusion, soccer’s origin in one country, the process of how it impacted many other places on earth, and the players, teams, and many organizations that exist today all highlight the idea of the spatial diffusion soccer has now and throughout time.
References
- Clio's Current. (2015, January 20). Local to Global: The Globalization of Sport. Retrieved from http://clioscurrent.com/blog/2015/1/20/st5stnqizug3gwqu8rx7aqroo5ln9y.
- Crocombe, M. (2019, July 22). Soccer Has Ancient Origins Dating Back As Far As 2500 BC. Retrieved from https://www.liveabout.com/who-invented-soccer-3556873.
- Football history. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.footballhistory.org/.
- Story Map Tour. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapTour/index.html?appid=1d9e72dc0f99416f87bafdca45692155
- Vanham, P. (n.d.). A brief history of globalization. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/how-globalization-4-0-fits-into-the-history-of-globalization/.
- What Is Globalization? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.piie.com/microsites/globalization/what-is-globalization.html.
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