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It is an age-old debate. Is it called soccer? Is it called football? Just as importantly, does it even matter?
Ever since I can remember there have been fights in schoolyards, arguments in pubs, and snide comments made during everyday conversations about whether “soccer” should be called “football”.
It comes from every fan of every football code.
But does it really matter what we call the game, so long as we support and love it like our own?
I’ve grown up surrounded by the world game and have never followed another sport so passionately in my life. I never will. So I have always looked on the game as ‘football’ and not ‘soccer’.
Yet I’m starting to find that this may just be a stale argument that has no meaning. It’s nothing but bragging rights over a simple name.
The media has started using the word “football” when talking about soccer, with even the rugby-league-obsessed Daily Telegraph performing what could be described as a Freudian slip.
Yet isn’t it still essential to distinguish between codes? In this article it would be at times confusing if the word “soccer” was simply banished from the page.
I still use the word “soccer” at times, but does this mean I’m not a true fan? Does using the word dirty the game we love and give credence to the arguments of fans from other football codes?
Perhaps the argument over soccer and football is just getting old and really has no place in our game anymore.
I hate it when rugby fans scold you for using the word “football” instead of “soccer” as much as anyone, though I do believe it is getting more and more scarce.
Yet I will admit that I equally despise when a “soccer” fan takes the high road and explains, with certain elitism, why it should be called “football” and why other codes don’t deserve the title.
Does anyone really care now? And if they do, should they?
I believe that we can’t ignore our history in Australia. We have used the word ‘soccer’ for a bloody age.
Our old league was called the National Soccer League, for goodness’ sake; our national football team is called the Socceroos.
Is it now necessary to change the name of our national side, just so we can complete this ridiculous notion of old soccer, new football?
Comments on news websites, online forums and social media show that this debate is still alive and well, with fans from all football codes continually getting into arguments over what may be an obsolete debate.
For what is in a name? Is it not more important to just care and love the world game? Does it still matter whether we call it football or soccer?
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