Skip to Content
The Pitch is Ours is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more

Why Does Soccer Make You Happy? 13 Crucial Reasons

Why Does Soccer Make You Happy? 13 Crucial Reasons

Every sport brings some sort of joy to the players and fans—especially when they are winning. However, soccer is not just any sport. It is the most popular sport in the world with the most players and fans.

Key Takeaways

  • Soccer is a fun and enjoyable game that brings happiness to the players and fans
  • Soccer brings fame and money that allows some soccer players to help and bring happiness to the faces of people in their communities
  • Stadiums create the right environment for people to interact, share the fun of the game, and build relationships
  • Soccer involves physical exercise which has been known to improve fitness and mood
  • Winning in the game leads to the release of happiness chemicals like dopamine and endorphins

When people talk about soccer, the emphasis is usually on the physical impact that we can see. For example, most soccer players have toned bodies and are usually healthier and more resilient than athletes of most other sports.

However, the impact of soccer usually goes beyond the physical to the psychological. We know this because soccer is a fun game and anything that anyone considers fun has a calming effect on their mood.

Whether you are a fan or player, soccer can impact your mood in different ways—and so does any game that involves lots of emotions. If soccer didn’t bring smiles to the faces of people, it wouldn’t have so many players and fans.

Interestingly, the aspect of soccer that makes one player or fan happy may be different from what brings laughter to the lips of another player or fan. In fact, during a game, the winning side will be happy and celebrate while the losing side will fume with anger.

You can easily spot angry soccer players by the aggressive way they mark their opponents on the pitch. Some end up getting set off for such reckless tackles.

So, why does soccer make you happy? Ask ten different people this question and you will likely get ten different answers. However, we are going to highlight all the possible reasons why soccer makes players and fans happy.

Salah celeb his medal

Does soccer make people happy?

Soccer makes people happy and it is not surprising that it has become the national sport in most countries around the world. You will appreciate the happiness that soccer brings when you zoom in on countries with diverse ethnicities where inter-tribal or inter-ethnic conflicts are common.

During a soccer game like the World Cup, when that country is playing against another country, whatever misunderstanding may have existed among different tribes in the country is temporarily put to rest. Everyone in the country will rejoice when their country scores against their opponent.

In other words, soccer has become a uniting force in most countries around the world. While soccer makes some people happy only when their country or favorite club is playing, others get their happiness from the different skills displayed by soccer players.

If you want to see a practical example of how much soccer makes people happy, take a look at the stadium. In most soccer games, the stadium is usually packed with fans who travel from different parts of the country (sometimes from different parts of the world) to watch the game.

When one team scores, the shouts of joy in the stadium are usually deafening. Happiness cannot be hidden and the joy that soccer brings cannot be hidden.

Kid soccer player is smilling

Why does soccer make you happy? 13 Reasons

As we mentioned earlier, different people have different aspects of soccer that make them happy. For example, the reason why soccer will make a player happy is different from the reason why it will make a fan happy.

According to a study conducted by the Sondea market research institute involving 1,500 people from ten countries, 71% of the participants indicated that they were happier on their team’s matchdays.

Also, 80% of the respondents believe that soccer brings them closer to the people they love. Soccer has a way of breaking down boundaries, uniting, and exciting people because of the passion that is often invested in the game which momentarily makes people forget all other worries.

When soccer takes over you, there is usually no space for any other type of emotion. Below are some of the reasons why soccer will make you happy.

1. Helps you to keep fit

Playing soccer is one of the ways that different people use to keep fit. This is because soccer involves aerobic activities and a range of movements that helps the players to exercise different parts of their bodies.

Unlike going to the gym which is usually a solo activity and requires personal motivation and discipline, playing soccer allows each player to leverage the motivation of their teammates. In other words, their teammates will become a form of support that will help them to go through every session.

Since soccer is a fun game, it is easier for people to exercise using soccer than going through the process alone. Soccer camps leverage the fun nature of soccer to help younger soccer players to keep fit and learn more about the game.

Ronaldo is cheering the goal

2. A path to fame

Everybody dreams of becoming rich and famous—and soccer provides the path to achieving that dream. Every now and then, we see a youngster from a random country like Erling Haaland become a fan and media sensation because of their exceptional soccer skills.

This is both a thrilling experience for the player and fans. The joy that comes with a sense of accomplishment when you finally become a soccer superstar is inexplicable.

3. Brand endorsements

One of the ripple effects of becoming a famous soccer player is that different brands will approach you to become their brand ambassador. There are lots of perks that come with becoming a brand ambassador.

In addition to getting free supplies of the brand you endorse, there are also monetary benefits attached to it. Although soccer players often receive handsome weekly wages, the money is rarely enough to see them through retirement.

This is because soccer players usually have a short professional career that spans between 10 and 20 years. Every athlete understands the importance of brand endorsement and signing those contracts is bound to bring happiness.

4. Allows soccer players to impact their communities

According to research, sharing in all forms is a great way to bring happiness. A soccer player like Sadio Mane is celebrated in the soccer world for his big heart.

He has built schools and other amenities in his home country, Senegal. That may not have been possible if he didn’t become a successful professional soccer player—and earned handsome weekly wages.

While being able to build those facilities will surely make Sadio Mane happy and fill him with a sense of fulfillment, it will also bring joy to the people in his home country. It is not surprising that they are always eager to watch him play.

Sadio Mane int he Senegal soccer team

5. Gives soccer players and fans a bragging right

Just like every other accomplishment, winning a soccer game will lead to the release of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins which are all called happiness chemicals. These chemicals are responsible for how people express happiness.

However, soccer players are not the only ones that get this benefit. Fans also experience the release of these chemicals which are often expressed as wild jubilations.

The release of these chemicals doesn’t only happen at the end of the game. During gameplay, soccer players often miss or come close to scoring a goal.

You will often see fans at those moments throw their hands in the air or make other funny gestures. These are all effects of the happiness chemicals.

When a soccer team wins a tournament like the World Cup, the players and fans will retain the title and brag to be the world champion for four years.

6. Soccer accommodates all types of players

Another reason why soccer makes people happy is that it accommodates all forms of players. From the short ones like Lionel Messi to the tall ones like Virgil van Dijk, size is not a limitation to playing soccer.

A lot of young people dream of becoming professional soccer players. Realizing that they can achieve their goal regardless of their physical appearance is something that is bound to bring joy to their faces.

From the very young to the old, many people continue to engage in soccer just even up to their fifties just to keep experiencing that sweet sensation that comes with the game.

Van Dijlk trying to stop Son

7. So many challenges to overcome

Soccer is a game where you have to overcome several personal and group challenges. Happiness is often the reward you get for completing a challenge.

Since there are usually lots of obstacles to overcome in soccer, you have lots of opportunities to experience bursts of happiness. From executing a perfect freekick to beating a defender, or completing a cool dribble players and fans will experience bursts of happiness throughout the game.

8. Soccer has the most skills of any sport

Arguably, soccer parades the most skills roster in any sport. This is partly because soccer players are allowed to use more parts of their bodies compared to sports like basketball and hockey.

This allows soccer players to execute more skills using different parts of their bodies. It is always exciting to watch the different skills displayed by soccer players.

In fact, fans love soccer players with exceptional dribbling skills. Such soccer players usually have a large fan base of people who want to be entertained.

Messi are trying to escape from the defenders

9. Fan rivalry and matchups

If you are a fan of European soccer, you must have heard about El Classico. It was one of the most heated games to watch when Lionel Messi was in Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo was in Real Madrid.

At that time, both players were considered the best in the world, and watching them play against each other was exciting because it allowed fans to decide which of them was superior. The debate that comes up before a game usually sets the tone for the excitement that will follow.

Soccer analysts will talk about statistics surrounding the team’s previous meetings, they will analyze the best players in each team and talk about their potential.

On one side you will hear fans argue for their teams and almost paint a vivid picture of how they feel the game will turn out. All these analyses and rivalries add fun to the game.

10. The chance to win big from bets

It is not a secret that some people place bets on different games. Soccer is usually the game that attracts the most bets, probably due to its popularity.

While soccer players are not allowed to place bets, fans do that frequently. Those that are lucky to predict the winner or the scores of the game correctly often get rewarded and smile to the bank.

soccer bet

11. Soccer has found its way into video games

Rather than playing the game physically, some people find it more entertaining to play soccer games. For this group of people, it allows them to compete against their friends to see who is the better player.

Interestingly, the reward for winning a game in a video game is similar to what you get in the real thing. You will get a wave of excitement and automatically get bragging right over your opponent.

Playing soccer video games is also a fun way to learn the rules of the game.

12. It feels good to represent one’s country

During international tournaments like the World Cup, coaches of the different national teams are expected to select players that they will take to the tournament. Sadly, only a small number of players make the list.

Those that eventually make the list will feel like national heroes who have just been entrusted the fate of their entire country. There is a sense of joy and pride that comes with that.

Messi trying to escape man-marking

13. Soccer makes it possible for people to socialize

Human beings are social animals. This explains why human beings are happiest when they are with other people than when they are in isolation.

Soccer stadiums have become a boiling pot for different types of social interactions. People from different parts of the world meet within the stadium and sometimes form lasting relationships.

Some people have even found their life partners in the stadium. Such social interactions during a soccer game are usually a source of fun—especially if the two people are supporting the same team.

Conclusion

Soccer brings happiness to those that are directly or indirectly involved in the game. For those directly involved, happiness can come from learning a new skill or winning over the opponent in a game.

Those that are not directly involved like the technical crew and the fans get their happiness when their team scores a goal, wins the match, or advances to the next stage of the competition.

Other games localized around soccer like video games and betting also make people happy. It is almost impossible to watch a soccer game and not find a reason to be happy.