I had the pleasure of going to see Manchester United vs. the San Jose Earthquakes at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara this weekend. Despite the game ending in a nil-nil draw, it got me thinking about how the International Champions Cup is such an awesome event and its influence on soccer in America.
At this game, I noticed there were probably quadruple the amount of Man U fans than there were Earthquakes fans. I saw plenty of old throwback jerseys from Schweinsteiger and Van Persie to David Beckham and Ronaldo. Soccer fans cover the earth like no other sport. Yes, there are plenty of devoted MLS fans who support teams like the SJ Earthquakes, NY Red Bulls, and Seattle Sounders. There are just as many fans, if not more, in the United States that love clubs from overseas.
It’s no secret that Europe has the best soccer leagues on the planet. This is one of the reasons soccer is so unique. Instead of a single league like the NFL or MLB, there are a variety of leagues that are far more popular than the one in the United States. Different powerhouses, different dynasties, different countries, different champions, etc. The top football leagues in the world include Italy’s Serie A, Spain’s La Liga, France’s Ligue 1, England’s Premier League and more. Devoted soccer fans who choose to closely follow these leagues get the joy of seeing a handful of different title races and upsets across the world.
These leagues (and the popular clubs in them) lead to fans being spread throughout the entire world. During the regular season when the games are being played in their respective countries it’s hard for normal, not filthy rich people with loads of free time (like myself) to go watch these clubs play. That’s what makes the International Champions Cup such a fantastic idea.
In the past, it’s been held only in the United States, but this year it’s being played in a couple other countries as well. This tour with these well-known European clubs allows fans to see their favorite players and teams. I witnessed grown men with smiles ear to ear as they watched their favorite club play in front of them. There’s nothing like seeing players you play with on FIFA every day play live right before your eyes.
One downside to this, however, is that because it’s basically a preseason tournament, a lot of the normal starters for these bigger clubs like Man U, Juventus, and Bayern don’t make the trip to play. Some fans miss out on seeing their favorite players because of this. The stars of the teams want to avoid injury. It also allows for coaches to play some of the youngsters. These guys often don’t get chances during the regular season as the teams battle for first place and to avoid relegation.
Side note: most leagues have multiple levels. For example, Serie A has a second division league called Serie B. If a team does poorly throughout the regular season in the first division and finishes in one of the bottom three places in the league they will be relegated to the second division for the next season. This is a major blow to the club and is a huge disappointment when it happens. The top 3 teams in the second division, however, get to move up into the first division. This is an awesome moment as it gives teams a chance to try and prove themselves as decent clubs instead of being stuck in the second or third divisions forever.
A positive way to look at this is that someday these young players will replace the current stars on the team, and you’ll look back and remember seeing them play before they turned into the faces of their clubs.
I assume this tour of the US is rather enjoyable for the players themselves. Like us in America, traveling to other countries is, for the most part, an awesome experience. It allows for some sightseeing and a look into another culture that we aren’t all that familiar with. This has to be similar to how the players who live and play in other countries feel. Not sure how often Man U’s Alexis Sanchez and Juan Mata get to come to the Bay Area, but I think it’s safe to say it doesn’t happen all that often.
It seems as though soccer in America has been at a standstill. The US not qualifying for the World Cup this year definitely cast a negative shadow on soccer in our country. Tournaments like the International Champions Cup, however, help keep it moving along in a positive direction. I know plenty of people that don’t like soccer at all. I know people that tune into the World Cup and then forget soccer exists until the next World Cup. I also know some that only follow soccer and nothing else.
The fan base is all over the place. The MLS over recent years has seen legends come to play their last few years here. Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are the most recent ones. It goes to show that the league has potential and that soccer in the US is not completely irrelevant. As the league gets more exciting we also hope to see the national team improve so that we can be excited to watch them in big tournaments like the CONCACAF Gold Cup (USA actually just won the most recent Gold Cup which i was thrilled to be in attendance at) and World Cup. Hopefully, this will be followed by a more consistent and passionate fan base across the nation.
I highly recommend taking advantage of these games if you enjoy soccer. Go out and see popular clubs from Europe compete at a field near you. It isn’t every day you’re able to see your idols play. The thrill of being so close to players you adore is a feeling like none other.