This January Term, I was among twenty-two students on the first ever Soccer in England study abroad program. Over three-and-a-half weeks, I attended ten matches. The class scheduled eight matches, but I missed one due to illness and purchased tickets to three other matches, each presenting a unique experience. From witnessing the brutalist-style soccer of England’s third tier to watching stars like Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah dazzle, here are some of my takeaways from a magical month abroad.
The Passion. Despite its gorgeous and historic cathedrals, England’s largest religious buildings may be the soccer stadiums. “Soccer as religion” has become somewhat of a cliché, but in England, it’s undeniably true. For many supporters, clubs are indelible aspects of their identity. England’s — especially London’s — immense density of clubs means that supporters often have local, intimate, and generational attachment to their teams. Matches are sometimes as much a congregation as they are entertainment — nowhere in sports have I seen as much coordination in dress and song as the English soccer stadium. Even I, whose diehard attachment to Arsenal Football Club is merely resultant of my father’s favorite author being an Arsenal supporter, felt this passion. After Leandro Trossard scored Arsenal’s winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur, their arch-rivals, I found myself hugging strangers as if we were blood relatives — it was euphoric.
The Quality. Anybody on the trip will attest that the Leyton Orient vs. Shrewsbury Town match — a third-tier matchup — was miserable to watch, but, overall, the best quality soccer is played here. You think soccer is boring? Wait until you watch an English Premier League (EPL) match. Yes, many of the best players play in the EPL, but it’s the pace of matches that truly captivates. Following a thrilling 2-2 draw between Fulham and Ipswich Town, we remained standing for ten minutes not because we were waiting for people to leave, but because we needed to catch our breath after watching a match which resembled hockey as much as soccer. Not to mention the beauty; I’ve long used the cliché “soccer is art,” but it’s true. No other team sport has such elegance to it. Watching an EPL match is like witnessing Claude Monet create a painting — masterpieces unfold before your eyes, creating an experience that is both serene and intense.
The Quirks. There are no parking lots surrounding English soccer stadiums, only residential lots. As an American, it is both cool and disorienting seeing a stadium situated within a neighborhood. Before a Chelsea Football Club match, a few friends and I walked through the beautiful public cemetery next to Stamford Bridge — because why not? If you like old, obscure songs, English soccer is for you. Without fail, every club plays a club-themed song you’ve never heard of, but the home supporters will sing all the lyrics. It’s a tradition unique to English soccer, and it’s charming.
If you can handle hearing middle-aged men swear for ninety minutes, an English soccer match is a must-see experience. One warning: calling their beloved sport “soccer” will evoke an ire you don’t want to see.
