The recent metamorphoses of a sport and a popular passion: soccer (from European examples)

Abstract

In the last 40 years, soccer has deeply changed in France and Europe. It went from an associative status of the clubs to one of commercial companies. The bonds between fans and their teams changed, and even though the adscription to colors remains, teams are not longer characterized by a playing style with which localities are identified. Teams also do not have a majority of local players nor players have bonds with the clubs or with the cities where they play, while the leaders are not anymore local businessmen, as was the case historically. This deterritorialization does not entail, however, a low interest in football. If the audience changed progressively, football continues to be a game that arouses passions, emotions and admiration.