Soccer has been around for many decades, and it has evolved throughout the years, transforming many societies. This sport, in particular, is a way for immigrants to express their cultural identities by enabling them to contribute to their new societies, which helps encourage immigrant cultures to fit into their new communities. For example, when immigrants move to another country, they face many challenges, such as cultural differences and language barriers. However, soccer serves as a great tool to help solve that cultural barrier by allowing immigrants to make bonds with each other by just playing the sport and sharing teamwork among every player. A way that this sport helps contribute to the community is by allowing the immigrants to get jobs and be coaches or even apply for jobs outside of the sport, which would allow them to pursue a better future for themselves. Soccer serves as a way for people to express their identity culturally and allows them to maintain traditions, build social connections, and form teams. It provides a sense of belonging in a new country while helping them stay connected to their home country.
Soccer helps immigrants reveal their identity culturally by playing a key role in strengthening communities to come together as one. Ganni states, ” In some cases, soccer has been used to foster community development. For example, it can provide opportunities for young people to learn teamwork, discipline, and leadership skills. It can also create jobs and stimulate economic growth in local communities.” (Ganni) This supports the idea that soccer helps immigrants express their cultural identity because community development through soccer has allowed them to connect with others worldwide who also share their backgrounds. By playing with each other on the same teams, they can celebrate and share their traditions, such as having their chants from the crowd and unique playing styles. This sport provides a space where young immigrants can take pleasure in their heritage while also learning and building teamwork, discipline, and leadership, which can help them navigate through life in a new country. Additionally, immigrant-run soccer clubs and leagues create great opportunities for economic growth, having their cultural values shared with younger generations and ensuring that their traditions may continue.
Soccer helps immigrants reveal their identity culturally by having diverse social groups and communities to access new experiences. For example, Painter and Price mention, “Given soccer’s global appeal, the communities that form around soccer are distinctly international and include native-born players as well as newer, foreign-born community members. Results show that both bridging and bonding social capital develop within these communities, as over 90% of respondents made new friends and socialized off the field. In addition, 9.5% of respondents reported getting a job or a job interview due to participation in soccer” (Painter and Price). This supports the idea that soccer helps immigrants express their cultural identity because it shows how the sport creates a diverse and understanding community where not just immigrant communities but also other communities from different parts of the world connect and come together. By playing together on the soccer field, immigrants can share their cultural backgrounds through their traditions and team flow with their teammates. The formation of friendships and social interactions on the field highlights how soccer builds a sense of belonging, which makes it easier for immigrants to integrate while still maintaining their cultural roots. Additionally, the development of social capital, such as job opportunities through soccer, demonstrates how the sport helps immigrants build a support network that can aid their economic and social stability.
Soccer helps immigrants reveal their cultural identity by often being used to foster relationships across cultural boundaries and promote positive interactions among young people from various countries. For example, Lindner and Hawkins express, “We wouldn’t have made friends if we didn’t come to Football United: the impacts of a football program on young people’s peer, prosocial, and cross-cultural relationships.” This supports the idea that soccer helps immigrants express their identity culturally because it shows how important it is for programs like Football United to help break down cultural barriers and support the fact that these young immigrants should be motivated and encouraged to express themselves to others from different cultural backgrounds. By participating in these programs and opportunities being offered to them, these immigrant youth can finally feel a sense of belonging within their community and the environment surrounding them. This promotes an understanding between both communities as both immigrants and native-born learn from one another and build those connections. Furthermore, the interactions that have been built through the sport of soccer can lead to lasting friendships and social networks, which can provide immigrant communities with a sense of belonging. Ultimately, soccer helps immigrants navigate their new lives while preserving and sharing their cultural heritage.
The sport of soccer has served as a powerful tool for immigrants to express their cultural identities and integrate into new societies, allowing them to maintain traditions and build new communities. Through sports, immigrants can overcome cultural and language barriers, fostering connections with others and helping them feel connected and accepted in their new countries.
Works Cited
Borg, Ganni. “A Global Language: How Soccer Brings People Together across Borders and Cultures - Maltafootball.com.” Maltafootball.com, 17 May 2023, www.maltafootball.com/2023/05/17/a-global-language-how-soccer-brings-people-together-across-borders-and-cultures/.
Lindner, Andrew M., and Daniel N. Hawkins. “Globalization, Culture Wars, and Attitudes toward Soccer in America: An Empirical Assessment of How Soccer Explains the World.” The Sociological Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 1, Feb. 2012, pp. 68–91, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2011.01226.x, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2011.01226.x.
Nathan, Sally, et al. “We Wouldn’t of Made Friends If We Didn’t Come to Football United”: The Impacts of a Football Program on Young People’s Peer, Prosocial and Cross-Cultural Relationships.” BMC Public Health, vol. 13, no. 1, 27 Apr. 2013, https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-399.
Painter, Edward, and Marie Price. “Creating Social Capital on Soccer Fields: Immigrant Opportunities and Gendered Barriers in Adult Soccer Leagues.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 47, no. 7, 6 June 2019, pp. 1631–1648, https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183x.2019.1602030.
I was inspired to write this essay because I’ve always been interested in soccer and how it’s important to other people in other countries. I researched the importance of soccer in other countries and the immigration of other countries in the world. Some themes that I’m exploring in my writing would be identity, human nature, freedom, and hope. Some of my literary influences would be news articles, sports articles, and other research essays. I’m a high school student in Houston, TX, who is inspired by soccer and its importance in other countries.