Is soccer part of Slovenian culture?
The world's biggest sporting event is taking place and we in Canada are hardly aware of it. I am talking about FIFA World Cup soccer competitions. My interest increased after joining some Slovenians in a sports bar as we watched Slovenia beating Russia in a crucial game. This meant that Slovenia has advanced to the next round. Slovenia is now in Group C, together with England, Algeria and the U.S. As I watched the game, played in Maribor, I could see the enthusiasm that Slovenians displayed during and after the game, both in the sports bar and in Maribor. This made me think that perhaps soccer is part of Slovenian culture. If you have an opinion please let me know. I will be watching the next game that Slovenia plays and will keep my fingers crossed that they win.
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Comments
Soccer is the world's sport
Soccer has grown significantly in the past 40 years or so in Slovenija - although Soccer is "relatively" new to Slovenija - it is the played by most Slovenian youth, along with basketball. Soccer is easily accessible and free to play (unlike Skiing and hockey). I was surprised to overhear one older Slovenian man at the Manning church disparage and talk negatively about Slovenian soccer. I remember him saying Slovenians didn't play soccer when he was a youth in Slovenia - ....well....my response to that is - have the Brazilians and the British been playing soccer for 500 years? Soccer is played by all around the world and brings out raw and powerful emotions amongst people - I myself never really gave soccer much thought growing up - but I definately enjoy cheering and losing my nerves routing for the Slovenian national team!
Soccer - Wannabe World's Sport
Judging from Robert's statement that soccer has only been taken up to any significant extent in Slovenia over the past 40 years, it looks like the answer to Oscar's original question is NO! Soccer is NOT part of Slovenian Culture. That's underscored by the comments Robert cited from an older expatriot Slovenian about its not being played in his youth. Surely any aspect of a country's culture must have an endurance of more than one generation.
And as for Soccer's being the World's Sport, I would have to insist that such a statement is highly debatable on a number of accounts! Europe's Sport - maybe. World's Sport - I don't really think so. Certainly not North America's and definitely not India's or China's. If I'm not mistaken the latter two represent more than two thirds of the World's population.
All that said I definitely agree that a good competition is always a source of good and fortunately relatively harmless amusement. I have my fingers crossed for the Slovenian side to prevail. From what I've seen to date they have their work cut out for them.