There are hundreds of sports in the world, if not thousands. However, among all the sports, football is the most popular one. Even if you’re not an avid football fan, you must have already heard about Messi and Ronaldo. Yes, that’s how popular football is.
If you’re unaware, every major football stadium in the world is jam-packed every weekend with fans who could do anything for their favorite player and team.
In fact, no other sport in the world can match the passion of football fans, especially during leading leagues. This can also be attributed to the fact that football fans bet the most than any other sport.
According to Statista, the sports betting revenue crossed $2.1 billion in 2021. The number is expected to cross $10 billion by 2028. You’ll also find hundreds of free bets UK websites that enable you to win thousands of pounds via football betting.
That said, here are five facts that make football the most popular sport in the world.
1- It is Inexpensive
Unlike other sports like cricket, football is highly inexpensive. For instance, there are 22 players in the game. And together, you can afford a football at minimal costs. The only expense you will have to bear is football shoes. However, again, there are shoes for every budget.
Furthermore, learning football is almost free. You can indulge in intensive football sessions for free. Even if you want to take professional football training, it isn’t very expensive.
2- No Age Limit
Unlike most sports, there’s no age limit in football. As soon as a club thinks you could be a good investment for them, you will be signed. For instance, Lucas Paul Knecht made a debut in international football at the age of 14 years for the Northern Mariana Islands national team.
This is probably why you’ll see kids as young as seven or eight years old start practicing professional football or join training programs.
3- It’s Highly Exciting
A game of 90-minutes can never be boring. Besides, when top players like Neymar, Messi, Ronaldo, and Pogba are on the pitch, the game gets even more exciting.
Be it defending, penalty, or corners, there’s always something exciting going on in the game every second. In fact, if you’re watching the game in the stadium, you cannot take your eyes off the balls even for a minute. If you do, you might miss something very interesting.
4- Transfer Madness
Football transfers are one of the most expensive and sought after player exchange windows that happen twice a year.
The prices go into millions and millions of pounds. The most expensive transfer, for instance, was when Neymar went from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for a whopping 198 million pounds in 2017.
The very next year, in 2018, Mbappe was transferred from Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain for a mesmerizing amount of 163 million pounds.
And, it’s not only about the money that the players make. Even franchises and clubs make a huge amount of money.
For instance, when Ronaldo was transferred from Juventus to Manchester United, the club made a whopping 187 million pounds in shirt sales.
5- Domestic and International Competitions
No matter what the day or month is, if you Google, you’ll find one or another football competition going on around the world.
As of February 2022, there are several competitions going on, including Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and Indian Super League.
This is not only a piece of great news for football fans but also for people who love to bet on their favorite sports team. No matter the state or country you live in, you can find numerous betting websites that allow you to bet on football and even provide exciting rewards.
And when leading clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona face each other, the competition gets even more interesting with people ready to fight for their clubs.
Conclusion
Even with hundreds or thousands of sports out there, football is the most popular, thanks to its loyal fans who can do anything for their favorite team. How do you feel about football? Let us know in the comments.