The role of soccer in Latin American culture

The role of soccer in Latin American culture

In the world, soccer is the most popular sport since it has many participants and spectators. A large number of individuals participate in organized competitions in various parts of the globe. Soccer is an essential component of Latin American culture. Many people from Latin American culture are huge fans of soccer, and they spend their time to listen to soccer games through the radio or watch the soccer games. During soccer games, many people come together to watch the games and are structured as a whole event, which is accompanied by dinner, lunch, or even a party. This makes soccer to be not only a common interest but a component of the culture in Latin America. In Latin America, soccer arrived in the 1800s with a significant European influx. Since then, soccer has increased its popularity, which makes it dominate as the most popular sport in the countries in Latin America. Soccer commenced as a sport that was mainly played by Europeans who were affluent but later spread in the culture. The high spreading rate was due to its low entry barriers, which allowed many individuals from various socioeconomic classes to participate. Latin America had many and complex cases of class and race issues that create a division among the people in these countries. Soccer has helped the culture of Latin Americans, to solve the problem of racism since it acts as a common interest for different individuals regardless of their origin, culture, and race in Latin America. It also helps in bridging the gaps between countries in Latin America. Soccer acts as a substantial cultural component that makes people come together. The paper will focus on the significance of soccer in Latin American countries. Also, the paper will look at soccer and politics in the countries in Latin American.

Significance of soccer in the Latin American countries

Soccer is a popular sport in Latin America, and it has various benefits in the countries in Latin American. The following are the significance of soccer in the countries in Latin American. The first significance is bridging the gaps and prejudices among some of the Latin American countries. There has been a huge gap between some of the Latin countries such as Argentina and Brazil. The big gap comes as a result of the difference in the political ideologies between the Latin countries. The governments of these countries use different political approaches and ideologies, which creates a misunderstanding between the countries. Latin American culture makes use of soccer to bridge the gap between these countries. All the countries in Latin America have a common interest in participating in soccer activities. Therefore, soccer will encourage the coming together of people from these countries to take part in soccer activities. Also, soccer facilitates the creation of a common soccer league that involves all the Latin American countries. It will enable conflicting states to solve their differences to have a fair competition in the soccer league. Soccer bridges the gap, which allows these countries to cooperate and work together in other activities such as trade.

The second significance is the promotion of unity. Soccer creates unity among the members of the Latin American countries. During soccer games, people go together with their families to watch the games. Watching the soccer games is structured as a whole event because it is accompanied by dinner, lunch, or even party with one’s family and friends. This creates unity in the family in the Latin countries since they can come together in watching the soccer games. Soccer gives a chance to a person to interact with friends in watching soccer games. As a result, soccer allows the cooperation of different individuals in the country. In some Latin American countries such as Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico, there is a high rate of inequality. There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor in these countries, which creates social and political instability. This inequality makes the rich feel more superior to the poor in these countries. Soccer creates a common interest between the rich and the poor in these countries, and they can watch football games together. It promotes unity between the poor and the rich in Latin American countries. Racism is another major issue in countries in Latin America. Soccer is supported by a large number of people in these countries regardless of their race, which creates unity among all races in the Latin American countries.

The third significance is inspiring children. Latin American culture uses soccer to inspire their children to have a positive attitude towards their lives. They use various individuals who have been successful in soccer to show the children that they can also be successful in soccer. Some of the successful figures used to inspire the children are Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, who have played various soccer leagues for their clubs and international games for their country. The inspiration from the successful soccer athletes makes the children work hard to be successful as well. Also, in Latin American countries, children are introduced to soccer at an early age. The children can follow the footsteps of the soccer stars to be successful. This inspiration motivates the children in the countries in Latin America, and they can work hard to achieve their goals.

The other significance is the promotion of the health of individuals in the countries in Latin America. Soccer is helpful because it can be used to solve the various health issues affecting the people in the countries in Latin American. The following are the health benefits of participating in soccer among the people in these countries. Obesity is a significant health issue that affects many people in countries in Latin America. Latin American culture encourages people to participate in soccer to reduce the issue of obesity. Participating in soccer is a form of exercise that facilitates the burning of excess fat in the body. Therefore, it can lower body fats, thus reducing the chances of being affected by obesity in Latin American countries. The other health benefit of participating in soccer is building strength, endurance, and flexibility. Participating in soccer allows the individual to take part in regular exercise that increases bone and muscle strength. Therefore, they can develop appropriate body strength that makes it hard for these individuals to be attacked by various diseases. Soccer reduces the health expenses of the Latin American countries.

Another significance of soccer in the countries in Latin America is promoting the economy. The soccer activities in the Latin American countries have a great benefit of enhancing the economies of these countries. Many people in these countries support soccer. These people pay entry fees to aces to the stadiums to watch live soccer games. Part of these entry fees is a source of revenue to the government, which is put in use by the relevant authority to promote the economy. Another source of revenue to the government of the Latin American countries is through the sale of soccer-related products. A large number of soccer supporters in these countries always purchase various products such as televisions, soccer shirts, and other soccer-related products. These products are exposed to taxation, which is a source of revenue for the government. The government can use this revenue to promote the economy of the Latin American countries.

The last significance is to enhance team working. The Latin American countries encourage the citizens to take part in soccer as a way of improving team working skills of these individuals. The success of soccer comes as a result of the efforts of the team but not an individual. Therefore, individuals acquire appropriate skills, which allows them to cooperate and work together as a team. Those who participate in soccer can learn the importance of working as a group with a common goal. As a result, the people of Latin American countries can use these skills to work together and cooperate to improve the economy.

Soccer and politics in the Latin American countries

The soccer in the Latin American countries is supported by a large number of people, including politicians. Politicians in different parts of the world relate themselves to soccer, but in Latin American countries, there is a strong relationship between the politicians and the soccer. The republican and monarch presidents of the Latin American countries patronized soccer, which indicates that they acknowledge having a cultural benefit to society. They offer support to soccer, and they display their authority when presenting the up to the winning team after a soccer league. The presidents also associate themselves with this popular sporting activity, which shows that they share the passions of the individuals in the Latin American countries. There exists a strong relationship between the politicians of the Latin American countries and soccer. Soccer can be used as a political soporific in Latin American countries. The military governments in these countries have used a mixture of repression, circuses, and bread to control their individuals, and soccer has played a vital main duty in this circus. Some important figures in the political governments of the Latin American countries have been the leading members in the soccer world.

One of the significant influence of the politicians to the soccer world is offering a cup for competition. The politicians were supporting soccer in the Latin American countries by providing cups whereby different teams were supposed to compete to win the cup. One of the politicians who offered a cup for the competition is the Brazilian president in 1906. The cup made a soccer competition between the state teams to establish a national championship. Also, the congress of Argentina was involved in offering a trophy for the Argentine teams annually to support soccer. The Argentine Ministry of Education offered a cup to be competed for by Uruguay and Argentina in the year 1908, and the games were played up to 1919. The Ministry of Education of Uruguay also offered a cup for competition between Uruguay and Argentina in 1911. This shows that the politicians recognized soccer as a way of promoting unity among the citizens and with other Latin American countries.

Politicians were using soccer as part of the national patriotic celebrations. Soccer had increased its popularity, and therefore, the politicians were aware that including it in the national celebrations would attract many people. A soccer tournament was part of the Argentine centenary festivities in 1916 and 1910. The Uruguayan first world cup in 1930 was arranged to coincide with the day the country got independence from Spain. The Uruguayan president attended all the matches of the country in the first world cup championship to show support for soccer in the country.

Also, the politics offered a helping hand for soccer in the Latin American countries in various ways. One of the ways is by giving property to the soccer teams, which could enhance the soccer activities of the clubs. President Dutra gave a prime piece of property to Flamengo during the late 1940s. Another way is by providing low interest to the football teams to support their activities. Flamengo was given a low-interest loan that allowed the team to build an office block that had twenty-four storey and spectacular bay views. Some politicians also took part in the building of stadiums with the hopes of winning people’s votes during elections.

In some cases, there was a negative impact of politics on the soccer activities in the Latin American countries. Some of the politicians of these countries were corrupt. This made it hard for the relevant authority to create appropriate facilities to support the soccer activities in these countries. The government was unable to build stadiums and other supporting facilities due to corruption in the states.

Conclusion

Soccer is the most popular sport since it has many participants and spectators. A large number of individuals participate in organized competitions in various parts of the globe. Soccer is an essential component of Latin American culture. There are the different significance of soccer in the countries in Latin America. The significance include is bridging the gaps and prejudices among the countries, promotion of unity, inspiring children, promotion of health of individuals in the states, promoting the economy, and enhancing team working. There is a strong relationship between politics and soccer in Latin American countries. The politicians support soccer activities in various ways, which include offering a cup for competition, including soccer in national patriotic celebrations, giving property to soccer teams, facilitating low-interest loans to the clubs, and building stadiums for the soccer clubs. However, some of the politicians are corrupt, which makes it hard for governments to offer appropriate facilities to support soccer.