They say, somewhat jokingly, that football is the only rival to religion in the Middle East. Yet that just might be true. The people of the Middle East are HUGE fans of the beautiful game that originated in England and has spread its way around the world. Fans of the game exist in every corner of the globe. The game’s fundamentals may seem simple but watching professionals play can truly reveal its beauty. Many children in the Middle East sign up to be footballers, attend training camps, and generally try to make it to the very top of the athletic pecking order.
The FIFA World Cup will be heading to Qatar in 2022 to further give credence to the claim that football is one of the most serious and beloved games in the region. Qatar will now be part of one of the most significant football events anywhere in the world, and that is good news for everyone who lives in the region. The tournament will bring the best of the best to the region and allow many fans to enjoy the sport’s beauty in its full splendour.
What Teams Do Fans in the Middle East Cheer For?
As you can imagine, there are dozens of great and hugely popular teams. Yet, people around the world will often identify with some of the weaker outfits out there and it’s interesting to know why. Quite often, fans love the way a player interacts at the stadium and outside of it, and that is why they will swear their allegiance to a team. Even after said player leaves the team, they find it hard to move on as they have invested a lot of emotional and mental energy into the team and don’t want to shift their allegiances so quickly. Well, as it turns out that is the way the mentality of people works. Today, some of the big football powerhouses among supporters in the Middle East include clubs like:
- Liverpool
- Manchester City
- Real Madrid
- Barcelona
- Paris Saint-Germain
There are dozens of others, of course, and we are not giving them their credit here. As you can imagine, player names such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mohamed Salah have all contributed to the game and their teams’ popularity to the point where fans around the world feel compelled to take part. Fans are also intrigued and amazed by some of the great comebacks in football history where a good in-game story can win the admiration of millions around the world. Remember when Liverpool was down by four goals to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League and yet they managed to pull out an impressive win over the star studded squad?
Well, that is how this game works. The more skilled you are the better results you can achieve and that is precisely the drawing point of football anywhere in the world. The fact that Mohammed Salah is identified through his Egyptian origins in the Middle East is definitely a strong factor in attracting many people from the region as his loyal fans. Nonetheless, most Middle East fans are far more impressed with Salah’s ability to play football than they are with any ethnicity or background.
How Does the Middle East Engage With Football?
There are many ways for the Middle East to engage with football. In the Middle East people often switch on their telly to feel a part of the action. For those true thrill-seekers out there, however, there are one or two alternatives to explore as well. That includes livestream sport betting websites where people can go and watch a game while it’s in progress. Not only that, but people are eager to even go ahead and place a bet when the opportunity exists. Combining live streaming with betting leads to brand new experiences for many sports fans who can swear that football does feel much more enjoyable when you are invested. Of course, it’s not just about betting. This activity is hardly important to your average Middle East football fan. Rather, people are keen on finding a team they can root for and appreciate, and that is precisely what is happening in the Middle East right now so far as football goes.
The beautiful game is called just that precisely because of its ability to bring people together and put any differences aside. So far as football goes, it’s truly one of the most outstanding products out there.
