I had a great time going to school in Spain. One of the things that made it so fun was joining our girls soccer team! If you’re like me and love to play casually, this post will give you some insight on what it’s like to play the beautiful game across the water!
Soccer is not the same in Spain!
Soccer and Spain are synonymous. Mention FC Barcelona in any setting and the room fills with energy! People do parades in the street with painted faces, everyone has a story of a time they met a player (or met someone who knows a player), and each game is like a local holiday.
I grew up playing soccer the casual American way – starting in early elementary school and going into recreational teams in college.
Watching the games wasn’t much of a pastime for me until World Cup clips came up on TikTok (or until it was time for the Olympics). But being in Spain made me want to take a deeper interest.
So when our student administration announced that they’d be starting men’s and women’s teams, joining was a no brainer!
The Beautiful Part of New Cultures
One of the administrators ran a small soccer agency and used to play professionally in Egypt.
He was our coach, and since he was nice and laid back, I didn’t think he expected us to have pro-level skills.
But in my first practice, I realized that having those skills might have made the game a tad more enjoyable.
It’s Not the Same There
My skills are good for defense, which is where the coach put me. But when I saw the little tricks he and my teammates were doing I began to wonder how much help I’d actually be.
You see, I love the sport as a hobby, but over in Spain and the rest of Europe (the rest of the world, really), people take it seriously.
Some of the players were people who played nonstop from birth. Some of the girls we played against later had been serious on going pro years prior.
Practice
We practiced at this cute little field up near the mountains. Barcelona sits in between the mountains and the Mediterranean sea, so the whole city goes upward in altitude as you go inland. It’s a beautiful place to practice as the sunsets.
On the way you can see all the kids walking home from school, parents and older couples having coffee in the street. Our first practice was on a cool day as well, so there was that wonderful crunch of leaves beneath my feet.
There’s no better way to feel the love of the game. At the bigger venues there are multiple fields lined up next to each other. People of all ages and backgrounds come out and play together. Some practice for games like we did, some just played for fun. Every now and then you might see a young guy and his friend drilling over and over with incredible precision – someone who intended to play professionally.
It’s such a privilege to be apart of.
It made me feel warm inside. You don’t really see soccer like that in the States – people’s inhibitions going away at the sight of a black and white ball, smiles lighting up on everyone’s faces with the first kick. It’s one of my favorite memories.
And I got to work on my shooting, which I am proud to say has greatly improved!
The First Scrimmage
Our first scrimmage was against another school. Most of the girls had played from birth, but they had one girl who played pro in Lebanon before suffering an injury. She was the absolute best on her team, but the gap between her and the rest of the girls wasn’t crazy wide.
So you can imagine how that went.
My advantage was being fast and strong. I knew how to run the girls down. One of the star players would take possession of the ball and maneuver her way around 3 players and suddenly have nothing but grass between her and the goal. So I would turn on the boosters and put myself between her and my goalie.
Then the lesson would begin.
I would stand there, ready to dart left or the right, arms and legs loose and apart. And just when I thought I had the ball, she would push it around me in a move that I’d only seen in movies, and off she went!
After their third goal it became clear that we were just practice, so all of us went “You know what? Let’s just have fun and practice.”
By the end they had at least 6 goals on us. I don’t remember the actual number. It was all a blur by that point.
Honestly, this was probably the most Fun I Had in Spain
A lot of study abroad trips seem like they’re just meant for drinking and traveling. But to be honest, I think I had the most fun playing with my team.
The trips to the fields, the anticipation, practice sessions and supporting the other teams – I had more fun doing that than going to the club!
I guess it’s called the beautiful game for a reason.
If you’re headed to Europe for any reason; school, leisure, business or otherwise, please find some time to play!
You’ll feel connection and community that you won’t find anywhere else.
Good luck!
Next, read about Spanish fashion and learn how to dress like the locals!
I love you!
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