If you love soccer and are in America...

[jjohnstonxc88]

1) When did you first start playing soccer/and in what country?
2) Where did you learn the game of soccer?
3) How important is soccer viewed in your culture?
4) In comming to America, was it hard finding people of your desent to play with?
5) Why do you play this game here? Why not play a more traditional American game?
6) What is the difference between American soccer and you countries style of play?

[Jabinho]

I'm guessing by your questions, you intend for immigrants to the USA to answer and not those who were born and raised in the USA..;)

[Cris 09]

Your question should read, "...and are in the United States." The U.S. is in America, which consists of North, South and Central America...maybe even the islands in the Caribeann. We all know that people say, "America" in reference to the United States, no question there. I am sure we all knew what was meant...but, sorry, just being picky. ;)

[Yañez]

ill answer
1. started when i was like 3 or 4 , in Chile.
2. Learned how to play properly in the USA , NY.
3. Very very important, whole country stops during WCQ's.
4. Not hard, impossible, i havent found no Chileans. How ever there r a lot Central Americans
5. Cause they dont excite me, not so much the sport, the teams. There is no team that represents me. If there was a baseball team from Chile i would most likely like it more.
6. Well, in Chile, i remember it was faster. 1 touch pass and high balls. Here, its rougher and slower, but more technique i guess. Since i have only played with Peruvians and Central Americans who are most generally of low stature, they tend to run with the ball more instead of passing.

[Maverick977]

1) When did you first start playing soccer/and in what country?
2) Where did you learn the game of soccer?
3) How important is soccer viewed in your culture?
4) In comming to America, was it hard finding people of your desent to play with?
5) Why do you play this game here? Why not play a more traditional American game?
6) What is the difference between American soccer and you countries style of play?

1. Well...I was never really a player...but I started playin just for fun when I was like 5 or 6 in my home country NEpal (it's a small Sounth Asian Country)
2. Nepal
3. Extremely important...Football is life over there...If you don't watch football there, the people consider you to be a lunatic
4. Very very hard...I came here when I was around 12 yrs, and at that time, there weren't many Nepali kids of my age, so I couldn't play...but i did play once in a while after I made some American friends
5. Cuz this game is the best damn sport in the world...American football, baseball, etc don't even ccome close...
6. MLS is slow as shit..I don't even watch that crap...

[Antonio81]

American-born, immigrant parent.

1) When did you first start playing soccer/and in what country?
2) Where did you learn the game of soccer?
3) How important is soccer viewed in your culture?
4) In comming to America, was it hard finding people of your desent to play with?
5) Why do you play this game here? Why not play a more traditional American game?
6) What is the difference between American soccer and you countries style of play?

1) Miami & Ft. Lauderdale, on the beach and in parks at around 3 years old.
2) From other immigrant kids and immigrant former-greats that ran ethnic teams(Teofilo Cubillas Per., Carlos Valderrama Col., Pedro Magallanes Arg. Keith Davis Jam.) Also from regular visits to Latin America.
3) Its a religion in Costa Rica and everyone is into it, which is why such a small country has been repeatedly able to pull of upsets against much bigger teams. I don't think any other CONCACAF nation takes it as seriously.
4)Latinos no, Ticos yes. Until recently there weren't many of us in the US.
5)Its an inner-city game thats easy to pick up without much training, just like basketball which I also play.
6)Skills and perfect-passing ability. America has neither. On the other hand America is in better shape and tend to play more as a team.

[Cassano]

1) around 5 years of age in the US
2) here in the US but from my Italian family
3) A religion, I'm Italian.
4) when I started it was mostly kids with European and South American roots playing, the American kids stuck to Baseball and such.
5) I was raised on soccer, I never had an interest in the American sports and never even played them.
6) American soccer is too underdeveloped. The play of MLS and College Soccer shows that American coaches just like players who are physically fit and can run for 90 minutes, looking over their skill. American coaches need to realize that a player doesn't have to be a workhorse to be a great soccer player. They need to focus on flair players with skill and technique.