Soccer: it’s a funny old game, isn’t it?
You can play for 90 minutes and draw 0-0, and for some reason, it just hasn’t gripped the US like some other and arguably better sports. Sure, Major League Soccer is taking off, and it is even positioning itself to be dominant in the US, according to NBC Miami. Indeed, the USMNT might even qualify for the World Cup this winter, but soccer still plays second fiddle to football, basketball, hockey, baseball and probably even tennis!
It is a different story once you cross the Atlantic or fly to South America. Soccer is a way of life, not just a sport, but the sport. It’s often described as a universal language, spoken in any country across the world. If you traveled to Africa and tried to hold a conversation, you might struggle; if you tossed a soccer ball on the ground, you’d make friends in an instant.
Soccer has its share of heroes and villains, and we’ve even got one of England’s heroes right here in the US. David Beckham is the driving force behind Inter Miami, and during his playing days, he won more caps for England than anyone else. Another English record holder, Wayne Rooney, appears on an Amazon Prime documentary you really don’t want to miss in 2022, especially if you are a part-time soccer fan.
Of course, Ted Lasso has been essential viewing, but real soccer is often more entertaining than something written from scratch. Wayne Rooney’s story is just that; inspiring and, at times, a cautionary tale. The striker grew up in an area of Liverpool called Croxteth, one of the roughest areas in the city. It was made infamous by gun crime, and anyone who has seen the show Little Boy Blue on Netflix will know exactly what we’re talking about.
From that position of disadvantage, Rooney became a star. He exploded onto the scene with Everton, scoring on his Premier League debut and joined Manchester United for a huge sum of money. The documentary explores the player’s life, helping fans on both sides of the Atlantic understand a man so often maligned by the press.
Of course, you may remember him for his time here in the US as he played for DC United, and unbelievably, his story is still being written. Having watched the documentary, you might not feel he is cut out to be a coach, but that’s exactly what he’s doing.
He’s in charge of ailing Derby County; a team struck by a points deduction in the English Championship. They’re favorites for relegation out of the top two divisions in the latest Ladbrokes betting lines, but Rooney is close to turning their fortunes around. Can he do it? That’s not a question answered in this series, but it might be the subject of a sequel.
Soccer doesn’t always grab people here in the US as a sport, but we do love a star, a rags to riches tale, and that’s what the documentary gives us. Rooney is a humble boy from a challenging background, and he climbed the ranks to reach the pinnacle of his sport. How did he do it? You’ll have to tune into Amazon Prime to find out. Maybe, you’ll find a secret love of soccer at the same time.
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