What is football to you

Leeds United v Blackburn Rovers - Sky Bet Championship
Leeds United v Blackburn Rovers - Sky Bet Championship

Some people say it is “a way of life”, but what exactly does "a way of life mean"? Well, people usually start watching football, when introduced by someone very close to the person. This could be a family member, a close friend or your annoyingly over-enthusiastic significant other. You start watching a game of that particular team and then one more and then another, and before you realize you start overestimating the value of football and start using football terms as a reference to your daily conversations. Not just that, you seem to follow this one particular team, trying to learn everything about the club - their history, rivals, biggest win, embarrassing defeats, greatest players and their personal achievements for the club, updating yourself with the latest news and transfers. Then, you associate yourself as a part of the club as much as possible by buying their merchandise, singing chants and praying for the best possible result in each and every match. You feel like you belong to a group of people. All of the things which you once didn’t understand simply, because you weren’t interested.

For most football fans the performance of their club in last fixture or the anticipation of the next match result seem to determine their forthcoming behaviour till the next fixture. Some weeks are happy and anxious and, some are frustrating and disappointing (Believe me, I know! I’m an Arsenal Fan). Even after watching the entire match live in the stadium or on TV, you re-watch the highlights and try to re-live those moments. You have a lot of ideas and thoughts about the game and you share those with your friends, colleagues or family-basically whoever you find capable of understanding your opinions.

I guess football is "a way of life"; A way of life that always moves forward to the next game no matter the result. A life that is filled with short-lived precious moments. A way of life that is more than just a game. What is your opinion on it? How did you fall in love with your club?