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Soccer: The world’s game

When it comes to the game of soccer, it is sometimes easy to only look at how the game can divide us. Be it Celtic-Rangers, Liverpool-Everton or Crew-TFC. What we should never lose sight of is how much the game of soccer brings this world together, and how people from every conceivable culture can be brought together by a soccer ball.

Thanks to former SBI correspondent Dominghosa (via fellow Designated Player The Offside Rules) for uncovering this great video of two soccer players traveling the world in search of soccer games to play and people to enjoy the game with. It's a must-see.

Enjoy:

The Soccer Project from Rebekah Fergusson on Vimeo.

If you enjoyed the video, you might want to help the creators by voting for them in this contest. If they win, it will help them complete the project they began with the above video.

What do you think of the video? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. a pick-up game is soccer at its purest form

    i miss it more than anything, even dancing. i got in a car accident in 2003 right before i graduated; left me with a Spinal Cord Injury – paralyzed waist down. quite frankly it blows.

    anyway, i don’t really get sad watching games on tv – but seeing these pickup games, or one going on when i’m driving by a park – and that just puts me in a trance…

    cheers to living vicariously! (i pick Jozy)

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  2. @ Mike form Linden

    im pretty sure the isreali meant that the fact that he is sick and tired of the world thinking that all israelis and arabs despise each other and the world would be very relieved if no fighting results. Something as simple as a round white ball refutes what most of the world thinks where isrealis can easily get along with arabs. Well thats what i thought cuz he basically said “For the outside world, it sounds NICE when arabs play against jews and nothing [bad] happens.”….then he responds with bitterness “this is one big bullshit” meaning that he is greatly dissapointed that the world thinks every arab and jew despise each other and thus he is responds by saying that playing something like soccer with each other should not be SURPRINGING. Do you guys agree with me?

    This film gets even deeper when after the israeli interview, they show the israelis and arabs indeed “fighting” but its over what is most likely a contraversial play or a disallowed goal. haha this kind of “fighting” happens all over the world and something i dont have much of a problem with. Soccer had an effect on the Ivory Coast. Lets hope it has an effect on israel and palestine. Peace!

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  3. Amazing! I voted for them and hope everyone who posts here will too. They deserve the help.

    Thanks so much for posting this and bringing some sunshine to a horrible snowy day. Soccer was not meant to be played in the snow. I’m ready for summer!

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  4. I’ve often thought a website that provided a clearing house of pick-up games around the world would be awesome. I’ve lucked on to them during various business trips and they’re always a ton of fun (Hyde Park in London, some park in San Jose, CR, etc.).

    This documentary looks great.

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  5. is it weird that my eyes got watery watching that? I love this game

    1. family

    2. FOOTBALL

    3. girlfriend/ my job

    everythingelse doesnt matter

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  6. I’m clueless I guess, but what did that guy mean when he was talking about Israelis and Palestinians playing soccer with no problems being bullshit?

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  7. I grew up splitting time between North America and Angola, in West Africa, and there are a number of scenes here so familiar and humbling that they make me downright misty. The nicest people on Earth, putting up with more s**t that just about anybody on Earth.

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  8. Ives this is FTW!!!!

    my friend just showed me this too…maybe he got it from you lol,if I could vote a million times for this video I would

    Its great to know the whole world its brought together by the sport held in common

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  9. I didn’t even have to see the video to vote. But after seeing it, and checking out the website… im wishing i could vote 100 more times.

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  10. As I stated on The Offside Rules blog, I loved it. This is such a beautiful game we all follow and enjoy.

    I voted already.

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  11. Beautiful doesn’t give this documentary justice. It’s poetic. It’s symbolic. It’s patriotic. It’s romantic. It’s cultured. It’s a masterpiece. I can’t say enough about the documentary. This is the beautiful game at it’s purest. It still baffles me 27 years into my life how a little white ball can transcend lives and break barriers.

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  12. Civil war in the Ivory Coast was stopped due to the football team playing in the World Cup 2006…it never resumed at the same intensity…..any questions.

    Yes…we do love it so.

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  13. I went to high school with Luke and got to talk to him this past winter about his travels. He’s a living the dream – and inspiring a lot of people in the process.

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  14. One World. One Game. Incredible! It truly is “beautiful” when you think of how many lives a simple sport (1 ball, 2 goals, no hands) touches.

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  15. Great post…I really liked the clip. This actually reminds me a little of a documentary my friend is working on for a non-profit by the name of Grassroots Soccer.

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  16. Correction: it was Stille Nacht during World War I in which the soccer game between the English and Germans broke out — not Kristallenacht during World War II. My bad.

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  17. Amazing. It’s videos like these that continue to convince me people are inherently good regardless of our current political situations. It’s amazing how a round object (doesn’t even have to be a soccer ball — even a flat soccer ball plays) unites two opposing sides (e.g. the israeli/palestinian match, Kristal Nacht during World War II).

    I love this game.

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  18. I fell in love with the beautiful game at the age of 22 (seven years ago) playing pick up games in the outskirts of London. I had never even played before, but no one cared how bad I was. I skipped almost all our weekend fieldtrips during the four months I was studying there to be the goalkeeper on Saturdays. This video just brought up so many great memories. Thanks for posting this.

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  19. That is one of the coolest things I think I have ever seen… I am in awe of the ways that this game, or any sport for that matter, continue to ease tensions and bring people together.

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  20. i have spoken with gwendolyn – one of the filmmakers – just recently about the project. they entered a contest recently to win the equipment they need to finish the doc. please go here [Ives, i know you don’t like links – so maybe you could put this somewhere else to help’em out] http://www.melrosemaccontest.com/vote.php and vote for them. deadline is April 10th! they are #10, Footplay.

    – Breton from Center Holds It

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  21. Wow, one of the coolest posts ever on this website. How sweet would it be to be those people traveling around the world playing with all those people. Amazing…

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  22. All the talk of professional football, and the simple truth is, that this game, and this game alone, is the only one enjoyed by everyone in the world.

    Reply

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