7 Weird Soccer Facts You’ve Probably Never Heard

Most serious sports fans think that having a lot of knowledge about their game of choice means knowing players’ stats and the management decisions of different teams. But, there’s a lot more to a game than the people on the field/court and the coaches who train them.

True sports fans know everything from the best players the game has ever seen to the most memorable games/plays in its history. They have a deep, running passion for the sport that makes them hungry for more knowledge.

If you’re like this when it comes to soccer, check out 7 of the most interesting and weirdest soccer facts listed below.

1. The World Cup is the Most-Watched Sporting Event

It’s pretty easy to understand how popular the Super Bowl is in the States or how many people turn on Wimbledon Tennis in Europe. But, the FIFA World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the entire world.

People all over the world stop what they’re doing to watch their team play during this event. They watch at all hours of the day and night and many of the biggest fans travel to the World Cup stadiums even if it’s hosted on the other side of the globe.

2. Over 180 Million Copies of Soccer Games Have Been Sold

How often do you play Madden or NBA video games? Chances are you play them here and there in between soccer video games.

But, did you know soccer video games have been sold almost 200 million times? That’s a lot of players to go up against from all over the world!

3. A Player Once Got a Red Card in Two Seconds

It’s one thing to play video games all day and another to put on your cleats and step onto the field for real. Imagine getting all pumped up in a game only to be red-carded two seconds in, though!

That once happened to a professional player just moments after he stepped on the field. It’s the fasted red card to happen in the history of the game.

4. Soccer Is Played in Over 200 Countries

Whether you’re playing online or in person, you’re one of the millions of people playing soccer in over 200 countries. This goes for countries with professional leagues and amateur circuits. If you think of all the street and beach soccer played around the world, the country count is probably much higher.

5. The Game Is More Than 3,000 Years Old

As incredible as it is to think about all the people who love soccer and play it today, it’s even more interesting to think this game is over 3,000 years old. It’s one of the oldest sports in history, which could be why it’s gained so much popularity around the world.

6. Soccer is a Big-Money Sport

Popularity and profit are not the same things. But, when you’re a professional player in one of the world’s most popular sports, it’s easy to make big bucks. It’s not unusual for soccer teams to trade/buy players at contract costs upwards of $100 million dollars.

7. There Are Betting Leagues for Professional Soccer Games

There’s no reason athletes and their managers should be the only people making the big bucks, right? The next time you want to start a soccer betting pool with your friends, consider taking the stakes higher and playing on something like sbobet.

This enters you into a betting system with more people and odds involved, which can boost your earnings if you win.

Weird Soccer Facts, Health Insights, and More

It’s pretty cool to discover all the out-there soccer facts there are, right? There’s so much knowledge available to us if only we take the initiative to look for it.

For more sports-related facts and all kinds of weird insights, click here.

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