Michael Gabriel, Reporter
After the World Cup captivated students in our school and across the United States, I wanted to write about the domestic leagues of some of the biggest European nations and their large cultural impacts. Internationally, England has always been a force in the world soccer scene, with their recent success in both the 2020 Euro and the last two World Cups being no different. While some English players play internationally, most play in England.
The English soccer pyramid is a hierarchical system that outlines the structure of English soccer’s various leagues and clubs. At the top of the pyramid is the Premier League, the top professional league in the country. Below the Premier League is the English Football League (EFL), which is made up of three professional leagues: the Championship, League One, and League Two. Below the EFL is a system of non-league football, which is made up of various semi-professional and amateur leagues. The National League is the highest level of non-league football, followed by the various regional leagues such as the Northern Premier League, the Southern League, and the Isthmian League. Finally, the local leagues are at the bottom of the pyramid, made up of amateur clubs that play at the grassroots level. The local leagues are organized by county football associations affiliated with The Football Association (FA), the governing body of soccer in England. The English soccer pyramid is an essential part of the country’s soccer system, as it allows clubs to be promoted and relegated between the different levels based on their performances.
Regardless of league and city, the teams throughout England embody the culture and image of the fans. I support Sunderland, who recently got promoted to the championship. Sunderland is a port city known for its car manufacturing and transportation of coal, sea salt, and many other goods. The people of Sunderland are hardworking, gritty, and, most importantly, loyal and passionate about the club. Unlike the USA, where people throughout a town have a mixed bag of support, a local or different NFL or MLB team, everyone in the town is a diehard Sunderland fan. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to highlight fans of a variety of English clubs and talk to them in regards to the club they support.
