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It’s the time of year when people decide to make personal promises to be better in the coming 12 months, because nothing says motivation like waiting until the end of one year to do better. But if you really want to make a difference in 2018, instead of resolving to spend more time in the gym or less money on Starbucks, might we suggest these new years resolutions to be a better soccer fan in 2018.
Introspection is not easy, so we did the heavy lifting to give you these six resolutions perfect for any soccer fan.
Soccer fan
For 90 minutes each week, you’re glued to the TV in what feels like a life-or-death situation as your club fights for three points. If you live with a significant other, chances are you’ve mastered the ability to pretend to listen to whatever he or she is saying while the match is going on. This year, we suggest you don’t pretend to listen. Instead, just completely ignoring your significant other (or in my case, cat).
Away soccer fan
Nothing beats attending a soccer match in person, but following your club to an away match is the pinnacle of the supporter experience. While things can unfortunately get too vitriolic in some rivalries because people forget they’re just watching a game, most of the time attending an away match is a fantastic way to meet new people both for and against your club. Experiencing another city/region/culture through football will help everyone understand each other better in an era where politics are increasingly divisive and acerbic. And, to reiterate: don’t be a dick, regardless of the result. Be a human.
Adorable soccer fan.
It’s cute, it’ll get you tons of likes on Facebook and did we mention it’s cute? This is a win-win situation for everyone involved. Except maybe your dog.
Young soccer fan supported by One World Play Project.
No matter how old you are, it’s never too early or late to donate time and/or money to those in need. If you’re a soccer fan, there’s no better way to do it than through soccer. There are countless soccer-related charities that could make good use of your money. Or you can give back by becoming a youth soccer coach and mentor young players. You can even become a soccer referee because there’s always a need for better refs, because currently all of them suck, unless you’re a Manchester United supporter.
Don't be a soccer fanboy.
There’s nothing wrong with being a super fan, but don’t be a fanboy, especially when it comes to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. By this, we mean supporting Messi/Ronaldo by saying every little thing his rival does is proof he’s the worst person ever to play the sport. You really don't have to post on Facebook that Ronaldo/Messi sucks; they’re both worth appreciating. Supporting your favorite player is fine, but you don’t have to do so with hate for his or her rival. Just because someone supports a different player or team doesn’t mean they’re a shitty person. Unless they support Tottenham — fuck those guys, amirite?
World Cup
Most of the world’s population will not be able to root for its nation at the 2018 World Cup. The four most populous countries (representing 44 percent of the world’s humans) will be absent from Russia, not to mention billions more from around the globe, so chances are good your country won’t be competing. But don’t let that keep you from enjoying the greatest sporting event on the planet. Regardless of who you support, it’s worth watching as much as you can to see the skill, passion and brilliance of the World Cup. And follow along with all things The18.com while you’re at it, we’ll have every angle of the beautiful game covered this year.
