The NFL vs. Soccer: Which Version of Football Reigns Supreme?

We'll breakdown the pros and cons of each sport.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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It’s the eternal debate. Globally, no sport reigns supreme like soccer. Nationally, no sport reigns supreme like football. On one side you have 22 men and a ball rolling around for hours, scoring opportunities are rare but when the ball does get in the goal, the announcer’s call alone gets registered on the Richter scale. It’s not complicated but a lot of us still don’t get it. The rest of the world sees “beauty” in the game, while many Americans have nodded off for a nap. When you wake up to catch the ending, the crowd is going berserk and some crazies are defining ‘hooliganism’ in the stands. The riot police are called, and you wonder what you could’ve possibly missed in a game that ended abruptly with a final score of 1-0.  

They’re equally perplexed across the pond. Remember NFL Europe? That didn’t exactly take off. Every year the annual game in London is hyped and every time they show crowd reactions the English look confused. Probably, because they’re collectively wondering how any morons could call this game “football.” Roger Goodell’s effort to globalize dementia and early onset Alzheimer’s is going to take longer than you’d think. Euros just aren’t as attracted to our brutish game like we are. It’s going to take more than an annual contest between random squads to undo centuries of European history.

Consider it "nationalistic" or "ignorant" if you want. On one side we argue for soccer. On the other we argue for football. It’s part-debate, part-schizophrenia. The bottom line is: you'll have to be the judge. It’s the U.S. against the world. The NFL vs. Soccer: Which Version of Football Reigns Supreme?

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The NFL is a closed league, making it anti-capitalist organization that hinders innovation, values the business over its fans, and holds cities hostage.

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Now that's just, wait a second, hold on, I'll, uh...

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In the NFL, people actually score.

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Actually, ties are worth something.

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Concussions, concussions, concussions, concussions.

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The biggest challenge for the NFL moving forward.

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Fantasy Football makes every game interesting.

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There's fantasy soccer too, ya know, and it's pretty cool.

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Soccer a.k.a. "The Beautiful Game" is wonderfully individualistic and freeing.

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Lack of play stoppage comes second to lack of action.

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The diving is ridiculous.

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Nobody fakes injuries in the NFL though?

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Soccer is the World's Game

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Other countries don't know what they're missing.

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Pretentious soccer fans.

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We're not pretentious, we just have more patience.

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Well, you decide.

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