What do you like about soccer?

I like the infinitely fluid pace of the game, with no time stoppages other than halftime.
Football is more than just goals or lack thereof, & it's nice to see more N.Americans realizing that. Creativity & scoring chances make the shots that do get through all the greater payoff.

Shouting, chanting, drinking, and chips at half time.

The pre-match banter, the post-match discussion and analysis.

Being pitchside when the action is in your face.

The skillful pass, the perfectly delivered ball in to the box. The graceful arc it paints in the air. The sprint down the wing. The last gasp winner in the dying seconds.

A cup of hot tea from the shack held in thankful frozen fingers.

Under the floodlights on a crisp cold winter Tuesday night. Cider and warm sun early and late season.

The click of the turnstile as the faithful turn up to worship at their 'church'.

Greeting the the same old faces who turn up to support the team through thick and thin. You've shared the anticipation with them time and again, shared the joy, the heartbreak, the laughs, the defeats. The ups, the downs.

The loyal volunteers who cheerfully keep the game going, week in, week out. Working the turnstile, the bar, the food shack, the raffle, cleaning, and more. The real heroes of our game.

Haranguing the ref, laughs with the lino. Winding up the opposition players.

Forgetting about everything else outside that acre of grass for 90 minutes.

That inimitable sound, and feeling, as the ball stretches the net.

Beers in the clubhouse with the team and staff after the game.

Walking or driving home after. This is itself a 5 o clock ritual, Sports Report rattling off all the days scores on the radio. If it's a long awayday, 606 will be on after.

Knowing you'll be doing it all again next week, and already counting the days until Saturday comes round again.

This is what I like about football. All this, and more.

Easier to discuss what I don't like, which is the "top flight" spoiled prima donnas and clubs. Everything else is nigh on perfect.
there is a reason it's the most popular sport on Earth by a huge distance.

its bigger than god

Listed below are all the things I like about soccer:

I will not go into aspects of the sport itself. Even though it is by far my favourite sport, I can understand perfectly well how some people might find it boring as hell. Instead, I will limit myself to how the game is structured. I love the international aspect of it. I love it that one tenth of the population of Iceland travelled to France to support their team in the last European Championship. I loved seeing on TV the huge crowds in Costa Rica celebrating that their team advanced to the knockout rounds against all odds in the last World Cup. I loved watching Senegal vs Denmark among a huge crowd in front of the City Hall in Paris, and seeing the Senegalese supporters crying of joy when their team won.

Nothing else comes close in sports.