Men's Soccer (Football) Thread [ARCHIVED] Soccer • Page 1955

Acerbi and Darmian v City or Real? Lol.

 

Just saw this question and thought it was fun:

Which match is when you fell in love with the sport?

And, an addendum from me: which match is when you fell in love with your team(s)?

 

I was a casual soccer fan in my early years. Enjoyed watching but didn't follow closely. Until 2010.

The Donovan goal against Algeria sucked me in. That entire group stage was really what got me hooked tbh. But the Donovan goal was just a great moment.

I started following Spurs more after that WC but it wasn't until Bale's insane season a couple years later that made me obsessed with Tottenham.

So not really two specific moments. But 2010 WC and 2012 Bale are the reasons I'm a miserable Spurs fan now.

 

2010 USA World Cup and 2012 Man City vs. QPR last second title winning match.

I had been following soccer since around 2007-2008ish, I started being a City supporter right around when Sven left and City brought in Hughes. I was already super into the sport and the club by the time the above two came around but both were key to soccer becoming my favorite sport. I think that 2010 World Cup, I actually listened to two of the USA matches on the radio because I was on vacation with a former girlfriends family on a Michigan beach.

 

Yeah this seems like a real key moment and World Cup for a ton of people.

 

I fell in love with the sport in college while watching my school's team play week in and week out. So I'm definitely way later than all of y'all, most likely.

USMNT: When Donovan smashed the goal in vs Algeria.
USWNT: Abbie Wambach's header vs Brazil in the 2011 WC Semis

Barcelona: I'd been watching them since 2008/2009 at this point (see aforementioned college years; Barcelona and Madrid were always on in my friend group which included a ton of soccer players), but being in the City with a match on spring break right before the four Clasicos in 2 weeks sealed the deal in 2011.

Udinese: studying abroad just outside of Udine and getting to attend a game vs AS Roma (2-1 loss, Alexis Sanchez and Di Natale leading the line ).

Swansea: Watching their first match back in the EPL vs Man City and despite losing 4-0, I loved the way they played and liked rooting for an underdog. (This would go on to be the AGUEROOOOOOOOOOOOO season, so I picked a good time to get into the league).

 

1999 Women's World Cup final

Opening Matches for the two San Diego teams

Arsenal v Man City Carabao Cup Final in 2018

 

3/4 on the Donovan goal, haha.

I remember the 1999 Women's World Cup final, but more for what came after than the games itself.

 

Donovan's goal against Slovenia was also awesome

 

I can't really recall the precise match which made me fall in love with the sport but I do know it was during the 1998 World Cup. Bergkamp's goal, Owen's goal, Beckham's red card, OG Ronaldo's explosiveness, etc. All these moments still resonate with me.

Everton v Sunderland in the 1999 League Cup was the match which made me fall in love with Everton. We lost on penalties but I felt like I was part of something that night with my Uncle by my side. There's nothing quite like it that's happened in my life to this date.

 

I just watched both goals again, and I remembered Bradley scoring Donovan's and Donovan's scoring Bradley's. The brain is weird.

 

There is two things with the sport I regret, not watching it in the late 90's-early 2000's (though this one is not all my fault lol) and not continuing to play the game after sixth grade. Had to do the typical American thing and pick between American football and soccer, should have kept playing soccer.

 

Really hard question as essentially the question is "what's your earliest memory in general". For as long as I can remember I was into football, playing it morning noon and night mostly.

I distinctly remember watching the Germany 1 - 5 England game, which was September 2001 so I'd have been 7 years old I think.

I also have really clear memories of the Beckham free kick against Greece game (October 2001).

Really vivid memory of being in the bath and getting threatened with missing the game if I didn't hurry up, for the game Beckham broke his metatarsal (Manchester United v Deportivo La Coruna, April 2002) though don't have massive memory of the actual game (other than Veron skying the free kick immediately after Beckham got injured, to rub salt in the wound).

I definitely have some spotted memories of United during the 2000/2001 season as well.

 

You can always watch the late 90s on YouTube, etc. You're a City fan, so I'd fully recommend watching Georgi Kinkladze highlights. Dude was like Messi when City were in the lower leagues. Man City v Gillingham is a crucial City in the 90s game.

 

I've definitely mentioned this before but the first match I remember fully watching was the WC98 quarters when England were knocked out by Argentina, and David Beckham broke my heart by getting sent off kicking out at Diego Simeone.

I've been addicted to the drama and heartache ever since, baby.

 

I have heard that name, I do need to go back and do a deep dive into some of those maybe "second tier" of historical City players. Rosler and Quinn are another two names from that time period that I am familiar with. Though those are more legend players depending on how you want to define them.

 

I was there at the Rose Bowl. I don't remember the specifics about the match just the insane atmosphere.

 

That's when I became a disciple of King Kevin

 

Fell in love with the sport as a kid playing rec/club ball. Affection skyrocketed during the 2002 USMNT World Cup run. Still remember sleeping out on the couch and waking up in the middle of the night to watch the team play while my family was on vacation on outside Boone, NC. Might still be my favorite World Cup.

Fell in love with Orlando City attending their USL championship match at the Citrus Bowl in 2013. A 7-4 thriller that hooked me and thousands of other fans that night. Insane to think that will be 10 years ago in August. Joined the supporters group and signed up for season tickets the following season.

As for my love for Dortmund, it was the fans that got me before I even watched a match. I wanted to support a club in Europe whose fans most closely exuded the type of passion I felt for Orlando City. Knowing that my aunt had traveled to Dortmund a number of times while working for KPMG, they were on my radar. Doing some browsing on youtube, it was clear that they have some of the best fans in Europe. Deciding to watch them during Klopp’s final year was quite the decision but I think it made all the difference in terms of finding out whether I actually cared about the club and how well it does. It was more so the club itself, its ethos and culture, that won me over (it certainly weren’t the results as Dortmund spent quite some time that year in and around the relegation spots).

 

For me, they are the same. 26th August 1997, I would have just turned 5 and started to watch football. But being five, I wasn’t mad about it yet. I quite liked Newcastle’s kit, and told my dad. He panicked and organised to take me to watch Leicester vs Arsenal.

Dennis Bergkamp played that day, and I remember him scoring a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw, becoming my favourite player immediately. I didn’t actually see them live again for a couple of years but I guess my dad’s plan worked ha.

This was my first football heartbreak lol. I think I cried when he got sent off.

 

Saliba (and Zinchenko) ruled out for the rest of the season. Very wise decision if it's a chronic back problem as reported.

 

Both of the Europa semis look like good matchups. I could see any of the 4 teams winning the tournament.

 

I'd like Leverkusen to finally stop "bottling it". They have a good, young team that could go places starting this year.

 

That's probably the game I'll chose to watch. Leverkusen have a few players I want for Spurs haha

Both Hincapie and Tapsoba would be awesome.