Within the framework of team sports, the one constant is the fact that the line-up will always be the same. As a fan, you look forward to an evening of snacks, a cold beverage and the game. There are no worries when it comes to your favorite team, you know the names, the positions and the camaraderie among teammates, it is the same across all the major sports, except, for the sport known as Futbol. Soccer, as it is known in America, enjoys the element of surprise for their fans, every match, part of the anticipation is not knowing which star will be in the starting eleven for that night’s match.
Soccer is not just about the club game, it is also about National Pride and for a player, being selected to represent their country, is something to behold. Major League Soccer has grown to be a league where American and foreign players are striving to excel in and because of this, National Teams are taking notice. Unlike other sports where there are limited International Competitions, soccer is constantly staging tournaments and friendlies across the globe. National Teams are always looking to “call up” players to fill the rosters and because of the high level of competition within Major League Soccer, club rosters are playing without their top stars.
As soccer grows within the United States, more and more fans are flocking to “soccer specific” stadiums to watch for themselves, the excitement of the game that the rest of the world has always known. The average fan may find the game thrilling and enjoy the play of a particular player and decide to become a fan of the player as well as the team. The individual waits with anticipation for the next game and when the moment arrives, the team that they saw the week before, is not the same team taking the field today. The fan is confused, they wonder what happened to their player and others, why are they not on the field? The answer is simple for those who understand the world of soccer, but, to those who are new to the game, this scenario is very puzzling.
The National Teams: The Reasons for the Lack of MLS Consistency
National Teams are not confined to a “season”; matches are played throughout the year and through all kinds of weather. Rosters for these teams are forever rotating and players are called up at a moment’s notice to play a match and then may return the next night to play for their club team. The coach of the club team understands this and for this reason, they are always tinkering with the line-up on a weekly basis. The players look forward to being called up because, for them, their ability to play the game has been recognized and to play for the National Team, it ishttp://old.lastwordonsports.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=61222&action=edit an honor unlike any other. Those fans that live and breathe the sport of soccer understands this and cheer when the star of their team has been asked to play on the National Team.
Soccer may seem confusing to the average sports fan, but, the sport has thrived for centuries and the inconsistency surrounding clubs and league play have been the one constant through it all. Players have become accustomed to playing different positions and with different players that, to them, it is the price to pay in order to play the game that they love.
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