Футбол - больше, чем игра

- Научно-исследовательская работа

по английскому языку

«Футбол – больше, чем игра» 

Выполнила::

Нуриддинова Мехрона Садриддиновна

 Обучающаяся 11-Б класса

МБОУ Школа  №11     

Руководитель::

Семченко Марина Николаевна

 Преподаватель английского языка

МБОУ Школа  №11     

CONTENT:

Introduction………………………………………………………………3

1. Football: yesterday, today and tomorrow……...…………………..4

1.  Football is………...……………………….………………….  4
2.  The origins of  football…………...……………………………8
3.  Why is football popular?…………………………………....... 10
4.  Modern football. Innovations. What will happen next?……….13

2. The role of football society………….……………………………..15
3. “More than a game”……………………….………………………17

Conclusion…………………………….………………….………………23

Bibliography……………………………………………………………...24

      INTRODUCTION

        Relevance of the research topic. Football is the most popular and one of the oldest sports in the world. According to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) estimates, there are about 5 billion football fans worldwide, 275 million of them - men and women (20 million)  - play football, 1.5 million football teams and 300,000 professional clubs are registered. These numbers are expected to continue to grow every year, reaching record highs worldwide. Decades ago, something about this game took the world by storm and turned a simple game into a lifestyle. It is when families, cities, countries, entire continents unit into one watch the spectacular  performance with bated breath, and the most talented players get millions per game. So, what is football? What makes it so special?

       The purpose of the research: to get acquainted with the phenomenon of football and determine its importance in the world community.

       Tasks:

• Form a general idea of football as a sport
• Study the history of football
• Determine the reasons for the popularity of this sport
• Consider how modern technology has changed football
• Acknowledge the importance of football for society
• Read  inspiring stories from the world of football
• Make sure that football is more than just a game

       Object of research: football

       Subject of research: characterization of football as a global phenomenon

       Hypothesis: football is not just a game in which 22 men run after the ball, as it may seem at first glance, it is something much more, more complicated, more significant, majestic.  

       Methods of research: analysis of methodological literature; observation;  experiment; generalization and analysis of results.

       .

1. Football: yesterday, today and tomorrow

         Football is the number one sport in the world. Perhaps only a stubborn person who never agrees with reality would dispute this statement. This sport is popular anywhere in the world and has every right to be called the most popular sport in the world. The football industry does not stand still and, continuing to develop by leaps and bounds, it draws the attention of many significant social institutions such as the state, international organizations, large international corporations, etc.

        The world is in a football fever, this is especially noticeable during the World Cup, which is held every 4 years. And while one half of humanity is watching matches with bated breath, the other half will not understand what is so special about this simple game.

        There are more questions than answers. Let’s take everything in order.

        What is Football? Where did it come from?

1. Football is…

   Football is a is a team sport in which the goal is to score the ball into the opponent's goal

with the feet or other parts of the body (except for the hands) more times than the opposing team.

        Basic rules of football: guide table

       The rules of football are familiar to many from childhood - even though the yard guys love to twist them in their own way.  If it seems to you that football has only one rule - kick the ball into the goal with your feet - then here's the news: no, there are a lot of rules. And without them, you will get, rather, a Florentine calcio.

        In 1848, at the University of Cambridge (England), the first football fundamentals in history were written, consisting of 11 points. On their basis, on December 7, 1863, the Football Association of England issued the first official document regulating the rules of the game of football. In our time, the official rules of the game of football are approved by the International Football Organizations Board (IFAB), formed in 1886. Since then, the duration of a football match has been 90 minutes: two halves of 45 minutes, and 11 people from each side participate in the match.

        Field of play. Football is played on a rectangular field that is about 90 to 120 metres long and 45 to 90 metres wide. Marking lines should not be wider than 12 centimeters. The specified dimensions are the central circle, the penalty area and the goalkeeper's area. The distance between the bars is 7.32 meters, and the crossbar is at a height of 2.44 meters.

       The ball is the projectile of the game of football. The ball's spherical shape, as well as its size, weight, and material composition, are specified by Law 2 of the Laws of the game

maintained by the International Football Association Board.

        Number of players. Each team has 11 players. There can be from three to seven players on the bench, who are allowed to be used as a substitute five times during the match.

        Equipment of players. According to the rules, every player entering the field must be properly equipped. The form consists of:

• Jersey
• Shorts
• Football pads
• Leggings covering the shields
• Studded boots.

       The goalkeeper's uniform is different from that worn by field players and referees. It is forbidden to wear any metal things, their gluing is not considered a sufficient measure. Leather belts and rubber bands are also prohibited. Since the mid-2000s, it has been forbidden to wear hidden advertising or slogans of a religious, political or social nature under game jersey. If  the shirt gets blood, the player must change it.

        Squad numbering. Numbering is needed to identify a football player (fixing warnings, cards, goals). Since 1939, numbers from 1 to 11 have been officially allowed, in the modern edition of the rules you can use from 1 to 99.

         Team Members. The football team consists of 11 people: captain, goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders and forwards.

        Goalkeeper. The goalkeeper is one of the key positions in football. His main role is to prevent the opposing team from scoring a goal. To do this, the goalkeeper is in the path of the ball and either catches it or takes it away from the goal. Within the penalty area, goalkeepers can use their hands, which makes them the only players on the field allowed to do this.

        Defenders (bakcs). Defender is a player who specializes in performing defensive functions. His main goal is to prevent the attackers from scoring a goal, taking the ball away, approaching the goal, and so on.

        Midfielders. Usually located on the field between the defenders and attackers. Some midfielders play a strictly defined defensive role, interrupting attacks and are also referred to as defensive midfielders. Others are more mobile: they are commonly referred to deep midfielders, playmakers.

        Forwards are the players that act closest to the goal of the opposing team and therefore bear the greatest responsibility for goals scored.

        Football arrangements reflect the positions and roles of the team's players on the field. The tactical scheme for the match is chosen based on the task facing the team.

        Every football team has its own style of play. Someone plays attack, someone focuses on defense, and someone tries to find a balance between defense and attack. Therefore, tactical schemes in football are divided into 3 types:

• Attackers
• Defensive
• Balanced

         Naturally, the team is managed by a leader, who is named the head coach.

       Referee. Each game is controlled by a referee – the final decision maker in matters relating to the play and his decisions are biding.

       Referee assistants. Line referees act as assistant referees. Their task is to fix offsides and assist the chief referee in making decisions.

        Game duration. A football match lasts 90 minutes – two halves of 45 minutes. Between them there is a break of 15 minutes.

        Goal - the ball has completely crossed the goal line. The winner is the team that scores the most goals.

        Offside position. A  player is in an offside position if: any part of the head, body or feet is in the opponents' half (excluding the halfway line) and. any part of the head, body or feet is nearer to the opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.

        Unruly behavior. This is a violation of the rules of the game. For example, when players allow pushes, kicks, delays, handballs, and so on. In this case, the referee may show the player a yellow card (warning) or a red card (removal from the field). According to the new FIFA rules, sanctions are also applicable to coaches, for example, for being too aggressive.

        Free kick. Direct and indirect free kicks are awarded to the opposing team of a player, substitute, substituted or sent-off player, or team official guilty of an offence.

        Penalty (11-meter kick). Appointed for violation of the rules in the penalty area.

        The history of the rules of the game of football, or at least something strongly reminiscent of it, begins in the second millennium BC. In those days, there was no question of any rules - the ball was driven around the fields and wastelands, and the number of participants could reach several hundred. For centuries, games reminiscent of football served as entertainment for people in all corners of the world from Central America to Japan, but the first rules for playing football appeared only in the 19th century...

2. Origins of football

        Each country with an ancient history ascribes to itself  the primacy of the creation of this game. As well as painting, theater, playing football at the dawn of mankind had an applied, ritual character. Competitions in honor of the gods, sacrificial games, where the winners received not only the approval of the crowd, but also life - such was the main rule and goal of the game. Archaeologists have found images of people playing with an object that looks like a ball on the oldest rock paintings. Every nation had ball games. The difference was only in the filler, which was made from improvised means. The Eskimos used moss, grass, wool, the Australians used the skins of marsupial rats and the bladders of large animals. In Egyptian burials, linen or woven balls were found, which, for cushioning, were tied with bull sinews. The Indians of North America had strict rules: the losing team faced the death penalty. However, the right to be called the birthplace of football officially belongs to ancient China.

         In China, 2500 years ago, a game called "cujiu", similar to modern football, was invented, which, according to FIFA, is the "progenitor" of the beautiful game.

        To some extent, the Italian game of the XIV century "Calcio" can be considered the prototype of football. It was in Calcio that the team members were divided into defenders, attackers and referees. It is believed that the Italians brought this game to the British Isles.

In the Middle Ages, the ball game did not change much.

        By the middle of the 19th century, the ball game began to acquire civilized features. The birthplace of modern football is England, since the term itself and the first rules were adopted there. "Football”, being the English word, literally means "playing with the feet in the ball."

        The first Sheffield football team originated in the city of Dronfield in 1857 from among the members of the cricket club. In 1860 the first football match took place between Sheffield and Hallam players. In 1863 the Football Association was established in Great Britain. The rules of the game were adopted, which prescribed the amateur, not professional, nature of the new sport. The participants and even the goalkeeper should play exclusively with their feet. Following this, there was a need for referees. And, if at first, they gave signals with a bell or a voice, then from 1878 ref whistles appeared in the arsenal of referees. In 1890, football goals were limited to nets.

        The first football teams to be created were in the UK, and then in the rest of Europe. There were no uniform requirements for equipment, the mandatory ones were: a shirt, long socks tucked into pants, boots and a hat (sometimes players wore top hats). Since the 20s of the 20th century, a single uniform has been introduced: a sweater and long shorts with suspenders. Since 1939, numbers have appeared on shirts. Although studded shoes have been known since the Middle Ages, the Football Association banned their use. Since 1891, the wearing of studded boots was allowed, but the length of the studs and the material (leather) were stipulated.

        As the popularity of the game of football grew, the need arose for a single regulatory international body. It was FIFA (from French: The Fédération internationale de football association) founded in 1904. In 1900, football was included in the program of the Summer Olympic Games for the first time in history. The first World Cup took place in 1930. The victory was won by Uruguay, which at that time was considered the strongest team in the world.

        Decades pass, and football remains the undisputed number one among all sports in the world. So, why is football so popular?

3. Why is football popular?

        The gap in the popularity of football from other sports can be easily and simply explained. So why is football so popular? Perhaps the answer to this question is simple: "Because it allows itself to be so popular." In this beautiful game, everyone will find something for themselves.

        First of all, the number one sport is in demand in many parts of the world, particularly in Europe, Asia and Latin America, from the poorest to the richest. As for other sports like American football or hockey, they are not available to the poor because they require a lot of money to play this sport. In addition, they are popular only in certain countries, for example, American football is played to a greater extent in the United States of America, hockey also in the USA, the Russian Federation and in some countries where the conditions allow playing this sport. But football… What could be easier than kicking a ball? To play football, it is enough to have two arms, two legs, some kind of playground and an object that imitates the ball. No equipment or special equipment is needed. Any surface will do: grass, sand, and soil.

The rules of the game of football are very accessible and understandable to viewers all over the world. That is why a football star can appear anywhere, even in Central Africa or in the Indian slums. That is, the first advantage of football is accessibility.

2. It is a great way to express emotions

        The spirit of competition is inherent in us by nature, and football is a great way to throw

out emotions and ardor for both the fans and the players themselves. And if 40-50 years ago football was to some extent a sublimation of war, now the perception of the game has

 changed:  competitions between countries are practically not associated with politics. The same players, who are supported by people from different countries of the world, play both for super clubs and for their own national teams – the world is becoming international. Football fans are the craziest, noisiest and most emotional. A football stadium is almost the only place where people can legally throw out a huge amount of positive and negative emotions and feelings: scream, stomp their feet, resent the decisions of the referee, the actions of the opposing team or their own team.

3. You can play all year round

        Football has no seasonality, you can play your favorite sport all year round. In the summer months, it's nice to kick the ball on the green lawn in the open air, and in the cold, the players move to the halls and run there. This is the specificity of the cold climate, in many countries you can play football on the street without a winter break.

4. It is spectacular.

        You can’t play football with your hands: maybe that’s why we are delighted to see how the players on the field masterfully control the ball with their feet only and score incredible goals with their heads? In addition, goals are not scored here as often as, for example, in basketball, which means that each hit on the goal causes especially strong emotions and feelings.Football is indeed a very spectacular game: tactics, attacks and counterattacks decide a lot here, each team has its own unique style of play. Football connoisseurs know how to get real pleasure from beautiful passes and dribbling. The ball game is full of aesthetics, from the green turf lined with white lines to the regularly updated kits. In the end, the action takes place in huge modern stadiums, in the open air, and there is incredible energy and noise of fans around – it is impossible to remain indifferent to all this.

5. Football awakens pride

       No matter how grandiloquent it may sound, but the matches of the national team help to realize

oneself as a citizen of the country, inspire hundreds of thousands of people, and victories arouse pride - in a good way. Take, for example, the game of the Russian national team at the 2018

FIFA World Cup. Few believed in at least some success for the team, its rating was lower than ever, and the hopes of advancing from the group were almost zero. But for the first time in 48 years, the team reached the 1/4 finals of the World Cup and showed a decent game. The Russians got an incredible charge of emotions, a real football holiday, and how many boys will now want to play football in order to play in another tournament one day, one can only guess.

6. It is a team sport

        In the last century, the Dutch showed the world the idea of total football, and gradually every club and national team picked up the philosophy. The bottom line is that players from different positions enter the field, but they are all involved in a common cause - the team as a single organism moves the ball to the opponent's goal and does not allow them to score in their own. Collaboration unites and makes friendships off the field stronger.

7. Centimeters matter

   Any high-performance sport develops over time to such a level that the difference between

a winner and a loser is determined by the smallest details. So it is with football: a few centimeters separate the ball from hitting the target, the team misses the victory and loses the chance to go down in history.

8. Football is unpredictable

        This seems to be the main charm of the game - each team can beat each and achieve something significant. Take Leicester, for example, who became the champion of England, although before the start of the season bets on this event were accepted at odds of 5000/1 - the chances of finding life on another planet within a year were estimated to be five times higher.

9.  Football is actually a very intellectual sport.

        To many people who are far from the football world, it often seems that the players just run around the field in a chaotic manner, and successful attacks are the result of only luck. In fact, this is not at all true: football is a very tactically complex game that obeys a whole list of rules. From the simplest - each player performs a certain function during the match. So, a forward is an offensive player. About the functions of the defender and midfielder it becomes clear from the name.

10. Football players, national heroes.

        Every football fan from childhood chooses their favorite player, whose portraits they hang on the walls of their room. They wants to be like him, buy a jersey with his number, play in the same shoes, go to his games. The portraits of many football players are depicted on sports equipment, clothing, cosmetics and even food. Football players are more famous and more popular than the presidents of their countries!

        Whether you're a round ball lover, a footix, or a passing spectator, it's impossible to remain stolid in the face of a missed corner, a top corner goal, or an unsigned foul. We are carried away by the atmosphere, and soon we are jumping on the sofa, yelling at the attacker to run faster and to hit better. This is the magic of football. 90 minutes in which passion is above all.

       1.4   Modern football. Innovations. What will happen next?

        Football is considered by many to be one of the most conservative sports. However, despite the seeming static and immutable, football is not frozen. How has football changed in recent years?

        Advanced Statistics. In the 2000s, we focused on the numbers in terms of the number of goals, assists and tackles. Now, if you wish, you can track how many passes, with which foot, at what distance and at what height this or that player gave. Tactics studies have turned from behind-the-scenes arthouse into a popular genre in journalism. It's not for nothing that football stars like Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher do not hesitate to go to work on TV and talk about tactics. It has become prestigious and well paid. Metrics of expected goals (xG), ball advancement (Packing), a huge amount of fitness data appeared. All this can not only be found in the public domain, but you can also learn to draw conclusions yourself based on these numbers.

        Video Assistant Referee. The video assistance system, which allows referees to make the right decisions in controversial moments of the match, began to be gradually introduced in 2018 after a series of tests at the international level.

        VAR and AVAR judges sit in a separate room - together they look at every moment - this is important. But it is not the game moments that are checked, but the decisions of the referee - this is also very important. They can intervene only in a few cases: goal / no goal; penalty / no penalty; direct red card; misidentification (when the referee sends off or cautions the wrong player).

        GPS tracking.

        A small sensor is installed on the back of the players, which is fixed with a T-shirt resembling a women's sports bra. Trackers help track running speed, intensity, dynamic loads, average and peak speed, number of sprints and much more - you can even study the player's heat map at the end of his activity. The received data is necessary for the coaching staff to analyze the condition of the athlete and identify his weaknesses, so this device can often be seen on football players during training.

        Wireless communication of referees.

        Headphone, microphone and transmitter - and the main referee has a connection with his assistants. The system works via Bluetooth, covers a distance of about 1km, so the judges can safely move around the field and communicate with each other.

          Modern football technology plays a critical role in helping players, coaches, referees and even us fans. In doubtful situations, this allows you to check the decisions of the referee or explain to a colleague who supports the other team that they made a mistake. It's no secret that football is becoming more and more technologically advanced. Every detail, every move, one's own and others' positions on the field - now nothing is overlooked, players and coaches use the latest advances in technology and science to improve perception, reaction speed, the ability to process more information in less time and much more.

        But football is a passion. These are emotions, these are expectations, the joy of victories and the bitterness of defeat. This is why we love football. For the feelings that we experience when watching matches. Football is a game for everyone. You may not be an outstanding athlete, but all you need to play your favorite game is a ball and a few friends. This is romance, but the romance of ordinary people. Professional football is gradually moving away from this.

2.  The role of football in society

         The most popular sport in the world, which has about 5 billion fans around the world, has transcended cultural, social and political boundaries, becoming a symbol of unity, identity and pride for millions of people around the world. Football has a huge impact on world culture, it has become a powerful symbol of identity and pride, it inspires and unites people around the world. The list of examples of the gigantic impact of football is endless, let's highlight a few of them.

1. Football unites. Whether it's national teams, popular clubs or local communities, football

has become powerful symbol of identity and pride for millions of people around the world. Football matches bring together a huge number of people, regardless of their social status, political beliefs or cultural differences. Football can serve as a link for people who could otherwise remain divided.

2. Football promotes positive values. Players and fans have

a huge public platform for expressing your ideas and views. Football matches, especially at the professional level, serve as a means to promote values such as sportsmanship, honesty, respect for opponents, solidarity and peaceful coexistence. The beautiful game stands up for human rights, in particular fighting feminism and racism. In recent years, eliminating gender and racial discrimination and intolerance in football has become a priority for UEFA. The European Football Union is making the most of the widest possible platforms to firmly declare "No to Racism" and women's professional football is growing rapidly, receiving almost as much attention from UEFA and FIFA as men's football.

3. Strengthens health.The impact of football on the human body cannot be overestimated.

Running after the ball, players do not notice how fast time flies. The benefits of such physical activity are obvious: general  health is improving, Immunity is being strengthened, endurance increases, blood circulation improves, which has a positive effect on the oxygen saturation of internal organs and so on. The game develops coordination well, a person becomes dexterous, as focused as possible on achieving the goal

4. Cultural impact. Football has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in

the world, with millions of people watching matches and highlights every week. Football is also heavily featured in films, TV shows and books, further highlighting its global reach. Directors make films and series inspired by the world of football. There are many documentaries about one club (“Inside Borussia Dortmund” 2019) and the life of an individual football player (“Ronaldo” 2015) or films based on true stories (“Mario” 2018)

      Football has also had an impact on fashion, with football-inspired clothing and accessories becoming more and more popular. Brands like Nike, Adidas and Puma have become synonymous with football, and footballers have become fashion icons in their own right.

5. Political influence. Politics and sports or sports diplomacy describe

using sport as a means of influencing diplomatic, social and political relations. Sports diplomacy can bridge cultural differences and bring people together. Throughout history, the use of sports in politics has had both positive and negative consequences. Sports competitions or events were intended to bring about change in certain cases.

       According to Macon Benoit, European football underwent enormous changes during the World War II era (1933–45). The game's surge in popularity occurred during a period of high political tension, which led to the politicization of football. European football stadiums have taken on other functions: they have become refuges and sites of political uprisings and terrorist attacks. As European politics and relationships changed, football remained a global means of political expression. Some clubs have a fan base which may be religious, right-wing or left-wing, nationalist, unionist or autonomous.

6. Economic impact

        There is no denying that football has a global impact on the world economy. Football creates jobs and makes a huge contribution to the economy through ticket sales, broadcasting, advertising and sponsorship. Major clubs and leagues are multi-million pound businesses that attract investment and create jobs in a variety of sectors such as tourism, hospitality and catering. Football can bring a lot of money to a country, but it also requires a lot of money.

        For example, the International Football Federation (FIFA) earned $10.5 billion from the 2022 World Cup, which is $1 billion more than the 2018 World Cup in Russia. However, Qatar spent at least $220 billion on preparations for the championship. Of this, about $10 billion is spent on the construction of eight stadiums. The rest of the funds were spent on transport, hotels, telecommunications and security infrastructure, including $36 billion for a metro system for greater Doha, a new airport, major road construction and the construction of more than 100 hotels.

3. “More than a game”. Touching stories

        Football can be an incredibly touching game at times. Let's take a look at a few stories from the world of football that can make a person smile widely or bring them to tears.

        The Story of an Afghan Boy

        A five-year-old boy, who became famous on the Internet thanks to Lionel Messi's homemade T-shirt with number 10, received a real one - from the Argentine football player himself. In the beginning it was - no, not a word - a photo. At first glance, an unremarkable photo, of which there are millions on the Web. Is the little boy in oversized sweatpants an inheritance from his older brother? - and in soiled rubber boots, proudly pokes a finger at a T-shirt with the inscription "Messi", pulled over an old sweater.

        No one would have paid attention to the picture if it were not for the material from which the T-shirt was made. Upon closer examination, it turned out to be... cellophane, and the number and surname - written by hand, either with a ballpoint pen or with a felt-tip pen.

        Someone published the card, someone reposted it, “shared it” - and away we go! Pictures of the little fan instantly spread across social networks. Journalists from all over the world rushed to find out - who is this? There were incidents. The film crew of the Kurdistan 24 TV channel found a young admirer of Messi in the Iraqi city of Dahuk. The plot screwed up. It turned out - not the one! Looks like him, but not. The real owner of the unique "t-shirt" was found by journalists in the Jagori district, a mountainous area in the Afghan province of Ghazni. The government of Qatar and the UNICEF foundation, of which the great Argentinean is an ambassador, undertook to bring the fairy tale to life. They organized Murtaza and his father on a “dream trip” to Doha for a friendly match between Barcelona and Al-Ahly. The little fan's joy knew no bounds. This was absolutely the best day of his life.

        The story of Christian Eriksen

        It happened at Euro 2020 during the game with the Finns: in the 43rd minute of the match, Eriksen collapsed on the field, taking the ball from behind the touchline. One of the first to run up to the midfielder was the captain of the team, Simon Kjer, who turned him from his stomach to his side and tried to pull his tongue out to prevent it from sinking.  Kjer, even before the arrival of the doctors, tried to give the football player an indirect heart massage. When Christian was in the hands of specialists, Simon went to the crying wife of Eriksen, who was trying to break into the field, and reassured her in every possible way, promising that everything would be fine with her husband - a real hero. The journalists tried to film everything on camera, but the Danish players surrounded Eriksen and the doctors, blocking what was happening from the cameras, and the fans from the nearest stands helped them to cover with a huge flag. All 15 minutes that the midfielder was assisted, trying to start his heart, they stood with their shirts pulled over their faces and not hiding their tears. Some prayed, some wept. And then together they escorted the gurney to the under-tribune room. Humanity has not seen a more piercing moment in modern football for a long time.                                         

      Fortunately, Eriksen was saved, the player left our world for 5 minutes, and returned, and now continues his professional football career.

        "Today we have to win for one reason..." - the story of Silva Jr.

         It happened in 2017. At the equator of summer, when there were still a couple of weeks left before the premiere of the main football documentary of the year from Amazon, the official Manchester City account published such a video

         Outside the window - December 2017. City are about to enter the most important match with Tottenham, and their leader, David Silva, is not even in the locker room, but in a different time zone. The club manager Pep Guardiola bursts into the locker room and starts, “Today we have to win for one reason only. We must win for David Silva and his wife Jessica. He is suffering. Now we will go out on the pitch, and if, damn it, we also have a hard time, then we will do it for him. Do you hear me? Today David, his girlfriend, his family must win.” Of course, they heard him - City flew out of the locker room like a bullet and scored four goals against Tottenham, but David and Jessica obviously didn’t feel any better. A few days before the match at the Etihad, their son Mateo was born three months prematurely. Silva flew to Spain. He watched the Tottenham rout on his iPad while hugging his wife in the ward of the Casa de Salud hospital in Valencia. When, in the 70th minute, Kevin de Bruyne scored the second - and perhaps decisive - goal of the game, the Belgian turned to the camera and pointed to the number 21, under which Silva plays.  A few days later, David flew to England, played a full match against Watford, and then returned to the hospital again - and for the first time spoke about his son's problems publicly, thanking the hospital staff, Manchester City and Guardiola.

        Due to his son’s illness, David didn’t even have time to train properly (according to him, at first he got out on the field about once a week) - but this did not stop him from jumping on the plane to Manchester again and again and playing as if nothing was happening in his life, nothing  but football. All this time, neither in England nor in Spain had any idea how his son's treatment would end - and, of course, no one would even be surprised if at some point Silva spat on everything and flew to Valencia for several months. It even got to the point that Guardiola publicly allowed David to act like that. Before the January game with Burnley in the FA Cup, when the Spaniard again had to race to his family, Pep moved to the microphone and said that he "didn’t give a damn if City lose because David can't be with us"

         When Mateo was released from the hospital a few weeks before the end of the 2017/18 season, Silva immediately set about planning his son's first appearance at the Etihad. The debut of Silva Jr. took place in August: a couple of minutes before the home game with Huddersfield, David wrapped Mateo in an azure City uniform, picked him up and entered the field to the applause of the fans.

        “Mateo was the main star of the day,” David says with a smile,  “When he grows up, it is about this moment that I will tell him first of all. Not about cups, not about victories. All this faded into the background.”

         Applause that day thundered at the Etihad several more times. City, as usual, did not stop either after the first, or after the second, or after the third goal - and then Andre Marriner set up a free kick and Silva approached the ball. A few frames later – Mateo appeared on the screen. In blue uniform, in Jessica's arms. And immediately after, we see a new tattoo on David's arm, dedicated to Mateo – “Never give up" - reads the inscription, embossed right above Cynthia’s name.

        “Sometimes I ask myself: how did I even manage to cope with all this?” - Silva said

somewhere in the air in an interview a few months later.

        The Legendary Kiss

        In the mid-2000s,when they fell in love,  Iker Casillas was a superstar of Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, and Sara, who came from Toledo, was a student at the Complutense University of Madrid, studying to be a journalist.

         At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the couple rode together, just in different roles - Iker as the main goalkeeper of the Spanish national team and captain, Sara, as a correspondent for Telecinco. Before the tournament, the girl was pestered whether her presence could somehow destabilize the Spanish team, she replied: “I think this is nonsense.”

         In the first round, Spain played with Switzerland. Before the match, Iker warmed up at the gate, and behind them his girlfriend stood with a microphone. The game turned out to be tough - Spain had more possession of the ball and unsuccessfully thrashed on goal. Switzerland put an end to it: in the middle of the second half, Iker did not play very well at the exit and missed a goal, which was the only one in the game.

        After the game. Casillas gave an interview to Sara and said that the team was very upset. The English media reported that Spanish fans began to blame Carbonero for the defeat of the national team, as if a wave of hatred fell on the girl. But the Spanish media called it all “ridiculous”.

        Defeats, unjustified hate from the English media - all this flew in on the first day of the World Cup and made too much noise to ignore. But neither Iker nor Sara broke. The Spanish national team has never lost since then and won the World Cup for the first time in history. After the legendary gold match with Holland, the post-match scenery gave a sense of deja vu – Sara interviewed Iker again. This time, Casillas appeared in front of the cameras more relaxed and interrupted the journalist in the middle of a conversation. He tried to hold back tears of happiness, and then acted like a real Spaniard - he kissed his beloved right in front of the cameras! They were applauded by the King and Queen of Spain themselves. This kiss, along with Iniesta's goal, was the most memorable moment of the 2010 World Cup. Every football fan remembers this with warmth in their soul and a smile on their face, despite the fact that the tale of Sara and Iker was not destined to have a happy ending.

        The couple went through rough times, Casillas suffered a stroke right on the field,  Sara was diagnosed with cancer… They were together in such dark days and supported each other all the time. Both recovered. However, on March 12, 2021, Iker Casillas and Sara Carbonero announced their separation after 12 years of relationship. The couple has two sons, Lucas and Martin. According to Casillas and Carbonero, raising children will remain a priority for both of them, despite the separation.

        An incredibly sad end to a love story that we learned about in large part thanks to this moment.

        “I will win this final for you”

        The story of how football and music gave birth to the love of one of the brightest couples in show business and sports, Shakira and Gerard Pique.

        They first met in Madrid on the eve of the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Their love story began after filming a video clip for the composition “Waka Waka”, which became the official anthem of the WC. Gerard participated in the filming, appeared in the clip for a few seconds. He decided to continue the acquaintance and asked the singer for her phone number.

       What once and for all conquered Shaki’s heart? The fact is that due to the busy work

schedule of both the football player and the singer, they didn’t really have time to meet at least for a couple of hours. And then the athlete promised the singer that he would become the finalist of the World Cup. “If through this I can see you, then I will win this final. For you"

        And like a real man, Gerard kept his word. Spain not only became the finalist, but also the

champion of the World Cup. Shakira realized that Pique is the right person. Soon, In March 2011, she posted a touching photo on social media, introducing her new love to fans: “I present to you my sunshine," she wrote.

        Over the years, Pique and Shakira have delighted fans with charming photos, looking at which, you can’t say anything other than “Happy together”. They have two beautiful sons, Milan and Sasha. However, after 12 years of reverent relationship, the couple broke up loudly and with scandal in summer 2022, because of a new girlfriend of Pique.

        And just like that, he won the World Cup for her, and then left her for a random young student.

        But do not despair! In the world of football, not all stories have such a sad ending. There is something…A charming story of two football players connected by strong ties that nothing seems to be able to destroy – the story of Robert Lewandowski and Marco Reus.

        “Once Upon A Time In Dortmund”

        Lewandowski and Reus met 11 years ago. Back in 2012, Jürgen Klopp's magnificent Borussia Dortmund welcomed a newcomer from Münchengladbach, a German named Marco Reus. Being an open and friendly guy, Marco quickly got along with everyone in the team, but he became especially close friends with the talented, but very introverted Pole Robert Lewandowski, who during his 2 years at the club didn’t make friends almost with anyone because of his closeness and complex character. However, the friendly German quickly found his way to the heart of shy Robert, which surprised everyone, from fans to club staff. From the very first weeks, the guys were inseparable, they communicated a lot, and Marco helped Robert improve his German.

       Their close communication was reflected in their game, they understood each other without words, as if they were mentally connected; they quickly began to be called soulmates. Reus gave brilliant passes to Robert, and Lewandowski rolled it into the opponent's goal, or Robert assisted, Reus scored, and so on and on, after which they rejoiced together, celebrating goals - with their trademark "secret handshake", which they came up with once sitting on the couch, playing FIFA at Marco's house.

       Those were the best years in the history of Borussia Dortmund, the duo of “911” brought the whole of Europe to its knees!

       The happy days of the "bumblebees" did not last long. After losing in the final of the same season, which caused a lot of pain to all fans and players, Lewandowski decided that he wanted to move to a higher level. Robert left Borussia Dortmund for another club. In the camp of their sworn enemy, Bayern Munich, which is considered a heinous betrayal in football, and a lot of fans of Dortmund hated him for this backstab. After his departure, Borussia slipped from second place to tenth, the players to whom the club had given everything continued to leave for more prestigious and successful clubs, things were getting worse than ever.

        And then the day comes when Borussia Dortmund meets with their main rival, Bayern, such a match is called Der Klassiker. A lot of rumors scattered on the Internet then, they say, Reus and Lewandowski had a falling out, they are no longer friends, now they are enemies… But in the very first match, there was no trace of these rumors.

        In a clip that surfaced on social media after the game, Reus and Lewy face off at the start of the match, no longer as teammates, but as rivals who will compete for victory separately. Reus looked serious and reserved, catching his eye, Robert did his best to keep his concentration before making Marco burst out laughing and start smiling uncontrollably.

Lewandowski also couldn't help but smile in return. The video went viral, gained millions of views. Sports reporters, fans, and just everyone began to discuss this touching moment, make clips to music. The video for the song “See You Again,” which is now referred to as Robert and Marco’s song, has become especially viral.

        So many years have passed. Season after season, sworn enemies fought for the championship in the Bundesliga, and while the fans of the two clubs continue to quarrel and the players quietly hate each other, these heroes show the whole world an example of a perfect relationship between people every match - they warmly greeted each other, smiled and chatted, and after the game they traditionally performed their secret handshake, which the fans love so much.

       Fun fact: they became so fan-favorite and the media started asking them questions about each other so much that they got fed up with it and unfollowed each other on social media to make it look like they weren't talking to each other anymore to stop the flow of questions and requests to tell about each other. But it did not work! As soon as the players meet on the field, it becomes clear to everyone how warm and special their relationship is.

        So, in the world of football, Reus and Lewandowski have become icons of friendship, their smiles exchange is the most dramatic bromance moment in football history, their “secret handshake” is a symbol of friendship, and the song ”See you again” is an anthem of friendship.

   .

                                                       CONCLUSION

   The purpose of this project was to study such a phenomenon as football. In the process of working on the project, the following conclusions were made.

        Football is a very spectacular and exciting game that has a lot of rules and subtleties, you just need to understand them.

        Football is one of the oldest games that originates in the distant past. Over the centuries, it has evolved and developed to come to the form in which it appears to us now, as we know and love it.

        Enough arguments have been given that play in favor of football and convince us that this game deserves all this world attention and universal love.

        Today, modern technologies are widely used in football, enormously changing the game from the one that was played 50 years ago. For good or bad, there are still disputes.

        We realized that football has a huge impact in many areas of society. It unites people from different parts of the world, gives a sense of belonging; allows you to legally throw out all the crazy emotions that is sometimes so necessary for human beings; inspires people to create works of art, gives rise to masterpieces; improves health; is an open platform for expressing one’s political opinion where one can unite millions and if necessary, direct them all in some particular direction; where there is football, there is big money. Football greatly affects the overall economic system of world countries, brings huge income, but also requires costs.

        Even to a person who has nothing to do with football, it becomes clear that this game is not simple and monotonous, in which the task is simply to kick the ball with your foot. The world of football is rich, diverse, bright and colorful, something extraordinary is constantly happening there: voices shout, whistles blow, drums beat, tears flow, blood boils, hearts beat... Football is more than a game. It is passion. It is love. It is life.

        Thus, during project implementation, all the goals were achieved, the hypothesis was proved. 

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