How Did You Get Started?
Everyone remembers their first time. First kisses, first loves, first times having sex are memories that stay with you forever. And before you panic and begin worrying about the path I’m taking here, what I want to talk about today is how I became enamored with the beautiful game.
I was 10 and it was World Cup ‘94. I had read about football in the papers and had watch the occasional Malaysian League game on TV, which Singapore was once part of (I’m Singaporean btw), but it wasn’t until the World Cup that I seriously got into football. Because of differences in time zones and that I had to get up early for school, the daily reports on the newspapers was my only means of keeping in touch with what’s happening in the World Cup. I read the newspaper reports diligently and decided that I would support Italy and that Roberto Baggio would be my favorite player. The newspapers, I recall, illustrated his magical run in the semi-final match against Bulgaria and that for me, was the stuff of dreams.
I remember also waking up early to catch the finals - Brazil vs. Italy - to watch with my Dad. It was a scintillating match but unfortunately I had to leave for school just as extra-time was over. The moment I reached school, I grabbed my phone card, dashed to the nearest public phone and called home to find out the result. I couldn’t believe Baggio had missed.
With the World Cup over, I bought Fifa International Soccer for my Sega Genesis and it was only then that I learnt about club teams such as Milan, Juventus, Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid. In a time where there was no Internet, Fifa International Soccer, despite being only a video-game, was my football bible. I would play Fifa diligently and learn who was who and from which club. It was only after playing Fifa that I learnt Baggio was playing for Juventus. Logically, given that I idolized Baggio, I should have grown up as a Juventus, but I’m didn’t (I’m 101% Milanista if you haven’t realized), and I was only too happy when Baggio signed for Milan a year later.
However, I wasn’t a diehard fan yet, at least I didn’t consider myself to be one. It was only until I moved, a year or two after the World Cup that I became a true football fanatic. I was cycling around and came across a group of kids who were playing football. They invited me to join and from then on, we met almost every evening, muddy field or not, to play. This went on for the next four or so years, until it became more and more frustrating to get enough people for a decent game - since most of us were increasingly more burdened with other commitments.
All this was more than 11 years ago and I have been a football fan ever since. All this brings a smile to my face as I reminiscence about the past, and this is the story of how I got started. What’s yours?
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Nice article…
PANINI my friend….Also,in 1996,I was 10 y.o. and Panathinaikos’s Warzycha scored the goal against Ajax’s Van Der Saar…..in the Champion’s League semi final…..The game was away for Panathinaikos……totally unbelivable…..the final scoreline of the game AJAX 0-1 PANATHINAIKOS…..Of course AJAX scored 3 goals in the next match and Panathinakos none….Never mind.It was great to see my team beating Ajax away in the Semi final 1st leg……Till then Ajax was unbeated for the season ……Players like Davids,Wouter,Kluivert,Litmannen were beaten by players like Basinas,Warzycha,Borelli! Warzycha is now the Head Caoch of Arsenal’s school of football in Greece.Great honour for him but he should get more!
Yeah, Well im just 13 now and last season I collected the Panini 2006 WC Stickers, I think I was the only one who actually bought the stickers!
Btw, I have every single sticker from it too!
I was 7 when I first got into watching football, though I had ben playing for quite a while with my friends. In Romania it does not matter if it is raining or snowing, if it is hot or warm; kids play on the streets whenever they can.
But the first time I got into watching football was at the 1998 World Cup. My dad took me aside one evening and he told me all about it. I watched several games and was delighted when Petrescu (Romania DR - who used to play for Chelsea at the time) scored between Seaman’s legs in the last minute of play to secure a 3-2 win. It was then that I first saw Beckham (coming off the bench) and I grew obbsessed with him - I do not know why.
Over the next year (the famous treble year) I watched two competitions: the Champions League and the Seria A. Staying late to watch football was never agreable with mom, but my father always defended me on this and thus I watched every single Man Utd champions League game that year. I was not a fan at the beginning of the season, but after Beckham’s free kick against Barcelona I fell in love with the Red Devils.
I had a major dillema however in the quarter-finals of the competition when the played Inter. Baggio was a hero for me too and Inter was the team I supported in the Seria A (for I did not know of any other leagues). I was not happy when Man Utd went though after one memorable game and one which I cannot remember, but I was not sad either. Beckham proved to be better than Baggio and Peter S. proved to be the best goalkeeper in the world, just like my grandfather told me.
As Solskjaer did *THAT* thing on *THAT* night, I was elated. I did not know about the Trble, I did not know about the FA Cup or the Premier League. I was just very happy that Beyern lost and eternally grateful for 20LE for sealing that win.
It was the most memorable year of my life and there are details of it that I will never forget and which others cannot remeber (Beckham’s mesmerizing shot against Bayern in the group stages of the competition which Kahn punched away is one example).
Realy enjoyed reading the article and reminding myself of those special years.
I grew up watching football and watched it on a daily basis, supporting Man Utd since I remember, I can’t remember the matches because there were so many, anyway, my first football memory was when I was 4, penalties, England vs. Germany, EURO ‘96 semi-final. That was the first time I ever cried for football as well, that prick Gareth Southgate.
My early footballing memories include the famous “I would love it if we win it, love it” quote, Cantona’s kick, Di Canio’s push and Beckham’s goal from the half-way lines. But it was the 1998/99 Man Utd season that made me a football fan, I’ll never forget that year.
@Kenny Of course I’m talking about the stickers.I collected lots of them with my brother and my cousin , maybe hundreds or even thousends of them…. Unforgettable moments…. NiKOS_LoVeS_WARZYCHA that’s my new nickname
i watch football because of Roberto Baggio too! i was so impressed by his solo goal in the World Cup’90 match against Czechoslovakia. he became my favorite player ever.
@hock: Baggio is a true legend. I still can’t get over his penalty miss at the finals of ‘94. What a pity.
@Andrei: what a hell ?? Romania - England in WC’98 was 2-1 ! not 3-2.. 3-2 was in Euro 2000..
@Andrei: in WC98 Romania - England 2-1 ….3-2 was in Euro 2000
I grew up in the “dark ages” in the United States… the 1980s
I was vaguely aware there was a world cup going on in Spain 82, and knowing what I know now, I wish I’d watched it… though I have no idea if it was televised.
Then in Mexico 86 I followed it more closely, through the newspapers (this was before the “Internets”), and managed to find the Argentina-West Germany final on TV. But still, I didn’t really begin to follow the game.
It was only when the USA qualified for the first time in 40 years, while beating Trinidad & Tobago
that I really began to follow the game. Also, I was visiting distant relatives in Croatia (still part of the former Yugoslavia at the time). The coverage of Italia 90 was excellent, and I managed to watch all three USA games, the infamous West Germany-Netherlands game, Cameroon’s surprises, England’s fight to the semis where they lost, etc. As it happened I missed the final (and glad I did, apparently it wasn’t the greatest of finals…). But from that point… let’s call it the 1989-90 year… I was hooked. I managed to get tickets for the group games in the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, and saw the USA tie Switzerland… brought my 13-star US flag and ran down, then up the steps when the USA scored.
That’s all World Cups… It took me until Newcastle’s miracle run of 95-96 to become a fan of a club (again, was overseas, listening to BBC every weekend, and the MLS had not yet started until mid-96). I’ve found since it’s like being a Cubs fan (I Iived in Chicago from 98-00), but I don’t mind. I can’t change. And I have to say, it’s not boring following Newcastle
I laugh/wince whenever I hear Keegan’s rant, bertz… Damn that Cantona :-
When I was 3, West Ham won the cup and there was such a buzz about East London, I was loving playing out on the streets… This was ‘75, unfortunately you wouldnt want to be on the streets of East London these days… Anyway, moved abroad, came back in ‘80 (to East London) just as WHU won the cup again… That was West Ham for me for life, deal done!
But the game that really put football in to my veins… ‘82 World Cup, Brazil v Italy which happened to be on my 10th birthday…
Rossi, Socrates, Eder, Falcao, Zoff, Tardelli, Zico… What a game, what skill, what exotic names!!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GLUbqxJjokA
Great memories… in the playground for months afterwards, when a goal went in it was ZICOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Thanks for the post Kenny…