With the World Cup on U.S. soil, Americans have gotten into soccer more than they have in any recent decade. With games in Auburn and foreign fans exploring Alabama’s roadside boiled peanuts as they travel to their next game, soccer has become the event of the summer. Here’s a guide on keeping soccer alive even when the U.S. isn’t on the pitch.
Movies:
“Bend It Like Beckham”: A wholesome coming-of-age story of a British Indian teenager who pushes against expectations to play soccer. With the help of a friend and a local women’s team, she is able to break barriers and achieve her dreams.
“She’s the Man”: This early 2000s comedy is based on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” Young Viola disguises herself as her twin brother and shows up at his boarding school to play on the men’s soccer team to prove her soccer skills, while accidentally falling in love with her roommate despite her hidden identity.
“The Big Green”: In small-town Texas, the students don’t have high hopes, until new-in-town Miss Anna forms a soccer team at school to boost their spirits. The team doesn’t start out well, but they have grit and character that guide the ball into the net by the end of the movie.
“Goal! The Dream Begins”: This story is centered on Santiago Muñez, a talented Mexican immigrant living in Los Angeles, who gets his chance to play in the professional Premier League in England after a scout catches a glimpse of his skill.
Videos Games:
EA Sports FC 26: Much like FIFA, this is a realistic soccer simulation that uses real-world rosters to bring fantasy football to life. Players can create their own teams, join tournament brackets and play soccer with the skills of the world’s best players under their fingertips.
Mario Strikers: Battle League: A major twist on traditional soccer, the Nintendo Switch introduces a whole new 5-on-5 game to the markets, full of chaos, takedowns and “Hyper Strikes.” Unlike most games, this game’s unique twist is the lack of rules. With an open field and two goals, the rest is simple: do whatever it takes to score.
Rocket League: Often referred to as “soccer with cars,” Rocket League is just that. Players control rocket-powered cars to strike a ball into goals, with 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 game formats available.
Party Games:
Soccer Bowling: Easy to set up at home, just grab empty water bottles or pins and use a soccer ball to knock them down. Every pin knocked down equates to 1 point, and the player with the highest score after 10 rounds is the winner of the game.
Monopoly Panini Prizm: The soccer edition of the age-old board game introduces real-life soccer stars and teams to compete for points and a championship. Instead of traditional Monopoly money, this game uses Panini player cards to turn professional soccer players into currency. Players can simulate the politics of building and maintaining the best soccer team in the world.
Connect 4 Shots FIFA World Cup: The goal is still to get four in a row, but this variation of Connect 4 has a twist. Players use cleat launchers to get their balls lined up four in a row. In soccer, the penalty shot is a striker’s best friend and a keeper’s worst enemy. This game puts you in both shoes as a shootout determines who connects four first.
