The power
of football

As a longtime football fan, you likely grew up with the beautiful game in the streets of your neighborhood with childhood friends, pretending to be Pelé, Maradona, or one of the other greats.

The power of football to uplift society, especially in underprivileged communities, should not be underestimated.
There is, of course, no denying the impact that football can have on the physical wellbeing of fans of the game.
Football increases aerobic capacity and cardiovascular health. It builds strength, flexibility and endurance, and it increases muscle and bone strength.
Not to mention, football is a fun pastime —  to those who truly love playing the game, it doesn’t feel like a task. 

Physical wellbeing aside, there are various other ways in which football can uplift a community: it also does so mentally and emotionally.
Have you, for example, ever seen a country as united as when their national football team has made it to the finals of a World Cup?
Brazil alone is an example of how football can create hope and a collective identity for an otherwise unequal republic.

Thanks to its ability to cross geographic, ethnic and even religious boundaries, football can be life-changing to community members who are passionate about the game. In the spirit of the power of football,  we’ve wrapped up the ways in which football can uplift communities.


Community involvement
You know how the saying goes: there is no “I” in “team”.
Football is a community-driven sport, from the players on the field who represent their clubs, towns, cities and even countries, to the other involvement like coaching, sponsorship and the fans in the stands.
Football is a passion-driven sport that can unite communities to stand together for a greater good.
When the team runs out onto the field, it doesn’t matter who you are, what your social status, race or religion is: everyone stands together for their team!


Mentorship
Football is an inspiring way to get young fans off the streets and out of trouble.
It gets them on the football field where they can learn vital life lessons like dedication, goal-setting, and working in a team for a greater goal other than your own.
This mentorship also doesn’t have to take place via a coach and player relationship.
Players who uplift themselves through football to go on and play in other leagues act as mentors for young players from similar backgrounds.
Regarded as one of the best players in the world, Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, for example, was born to a poverty-stricken family in the shantytown of Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo.
He is reported to have gotten his first pair of football cleats off a rubbish dumb. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Uplifting the future
Community-based sport like football has a long term impact on young players’ lives.
Regularly going to football practice, working in a team, growing their confidence and keeping fit are all aspects that contribute to shaping happy and healthy community members.
These active and well-rounded members of communities then go on to become the future of communities, and they will share and implement their knowledge to the youth. 

Economic impact 
Sport, especially football, can be a wonderful economic injection for towns and cities.
Teams who do well and receive funding are a form of job creation, not only for the football players but for all other parties involved in the team’s management and making football games a reality (think field careers, marketing officials, ticket sales, football kit manufacturers, transportation and so much more).
The ripple effect that the lucrative world of football can have on a community is undeniable! 

Uplifting players who will never forget where they came from 
We’ve discussed the important impact that football can have on an entire community, but the game (as we know through earlier examples like Neymar) can be life-changing to individual players who become household names.
Just take this list of players known for their work on and off the field.
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, for example, does noteworthy charity work in providing amenities for homeless people and meals for school children in Manchester.
A win for a young talent is a win for an entire community, even more so if the community has supported that young talent throughout their journey! 

From mentorship and an economic impact, to uplifting future generations and encouraging community engagement: football has the potential to change the lives of more than just the player who goes on to make it in the big leagues.
However, it is important for communities to support and encourage these players as much as possible, for the positive ripple effect of football on communities to be felt.