Football is a game of rules, right? Well, sort of. It’s probably more accurate to say that it’s a game of unspoken rules. In football, the things tha matter most are often left unsaid – or at least they used to be. Thanks to social media and modern technology, we now know everything there is to know about our favorite players and teams. This has made the ‘unspoken rules’ even less spoken than before. A lot of people think that footballers are arrogant and self-obsessed individuals who care nothing for their fans and only think about money and girls. Others have this idea that footballers are tight nit brothers from another mother who live and breathe team spirit 24/7. The truth is somewhere in between these two extremes. Footballers are just ordinary guys who happen to play football for a living – but with a twist. There are unspoken rules that govern their behavior on the pitch, in front of cameras, in training sessions, and behind closed doors…
The unspoken rules of the football field
Every football field is different and so are the unspoken rules that govern the behavior of footballers on that particular field. The rules could be anything from ‘you don’t celebrate when a teammate misses a penalty’ to ‘you must wear shin guards’. There are two ways of navigating the unspoken rules of any football field – either you’re born knowing them or you learn them as a newbie. The latter takes some time though. You have to be patient and observant and learn as you go. There’s a lot of confusion about the unspoken rules of the football field. People often ask: when do the rules apply? And when do they not? Well, there’s no simple answer to that. If you take one thing away from this article, let it be this: when in doubt, always err on the side of caution and follow the rules.
Honesty is not the best policy
Honesty is the best policy, we’re told since childhood. But the football world is a far cry from the classroom. In football, honesty only applies to certain people at certain times. Honesty is a two-way street and the footballers on one side of the street don’t care about the other side. The football world is a cutthroat place. Players are often pitted against each other and they’ll do anything to win. This includes turning a blind eye to your teammate’s glaring faults, deceiving journalists, and misleading managers. You’d be surprised how often players are asked to lie and how many footballers lie without a second thought.
Don’t show your feelings
Football players are human. They have feelings, desires, and dreams just like you and me. But unlike you and me, they know how to keep their feelings from showing. Even when a loved one dies, a footballer knows how to hold his tears back and put on a brave face. No one wants to see a grown man cry. This rule is so deeply ingrained in the footballing culture that even kids who’re still learning the game know to hide their feelings. Why do you think we have so many heartless players who don’t seem to care if a teammate gets injured? Because they don’t. You can’t judge a footballer by how he reacts to a situation. The best way to read a footballer’s mind is to observe his actions.
The Fans Are Everything – Except When They’re Not
Fans are the players’ oxygen. They give us strength and motivation. They motivate us to do better on the field and off the field. They are the ones who take the blame when we lose and they are the ones who praise us when we win. Without the fans, footballers would be nothing. But with that being said, the fans don’t always have a say. Footballers can do whatever they want – within the rules, of course – regardless if the fans agree or not. A footballer can be in a relationship with someone the fans hate but as long as he doesn’t get caught, he won’t have to deal with the backlash. The fans won’t be able to do a thing about it. The same goes for the player’s Instagram posts. If the post is not against the rules, the fans can’t do a thing about it.
Football is for winning, always.
Footballers are football players. They train hard every day and they play hard on match days. Football is not a game meant to be enjoyed; it’s a game meant to be won. A football team is like a family. We all know how families work – there are times when we hate each other and times when we get along. But there is one thing that will always remain constant in any family – blood is thicker than water. This applies to football teams as well. When push comes to shove, footballers will always stand up for their teammates. There are times when teammates fight and walk off the pitch. But there are also times when teammates stand up for one another when others try to hurt them.
Know when to walk away
Football is a tough sport and injuries are a part and parcel of the game. But this doesn’t mean that you should let your health deteriorate until you can’t play the game anymore. A footballer must know when to walk away from the sport. When you start making mistakes that you didn’t make before when you start making mistakes that you didn’t make before your prime is over. A footballer must always be aware of the fact that he may not always be able to play the game. He must, therefore, make sure the game doesn’t make him. He must make healthy decisions, both on and off the pitch. If you’ve read this article from start to finish, you now know the unspoken rules of football. Now you can go and enjoy football even more. And if you’re a football fan and you’ve read this article, you can now go and enjoy the game even more too!