Norway Vs. Sweden...I Love National Team Soccer!

Right now in Europe nations are at war. Instead of guns, they use their feet. In the place of tanks, planes, ships and bombs they use their heads and corner kicks. Though they don't have casualties, they have winners and losers.

It's soccer, at a national level.

For me, there is nothing, nothing, like national teams soccer. There are several reasons why Americans don't embrace this level of the sport like the rest of the world does, the biggest reason is that it's one of the few sports Americans don't dominate--at least, the men. We get beat by countries with 1/100th our population. We tie tiny Caribbean countries. We didn't even qualify for the last World Cup.

Then there's the game itself. It's not necessarily packed with goals. I get it...I understand. I admit, it's not for everyone. But on the internet they're playing qualifying games and tonight I caught the end of the Norway vs. Sweden match. 

It was a thing of beauty.

Norway was up 2 - 1. Things looked grim for the boys in yellow and gold. Then A Norwegian player tried to deflect a Swedish shot late in the game. He deflected the ball into his own goal.

Tied.

Then Sweden scored again with only minutes to go. The Swedish fans in the Norwegian stadium were going nuts--ahead as time was running out.

Extra time.

Three minutes were added. A Swedish player goes down so they add a few minutes more. Norway earns a corner kick--their only corner in the game as the final extra minute ticks down. All eleven Norwegians--goalie included--rush the Swedish side. The kick flies toward the box and the ball finds its way in the net. 

Tied as the game is called.

There's so much more on the line than a game. It's national pride and sports and there's nothing in America that can compare. The closest thing might be the first Olympic USA Mens Basketball Dream Team in 1992. If you remember how you felt as an American watching the world's best represent the sport and the country, then you're understanding how the fans feel about their national soccer teams.

Yes, the battles will continue until, at a time in the future, the last team standing will raise the trophy signaling to all that the war has ended, at least temporarily, until the next war begins.