5. Catch a footie flick
Hollywood has long been renowned for the sports movie, whether it be inspirational or comedic, and the beautiful game is no exception. Greg Seltzer over at MLSsoccer.com made a pretty strong list of his favorites. The HBO Maradona documentary is exceptional, featuring stunning new footage of the legendary Argentine, and maybe it’s just a product of when I grew up, but I would absolutely elevate Bend It Like Beckham and Shaolin Soccer to the top tier.
4. Play FIFA
Video game interest has skyrocketed with Stay At Home orders in place, and that means FIFA 20 for soccer fans. The game will allow you to simulate any 2020 season you desire, or just get yourself in front of something resembling a live game. I’m not much of a gamer, but fortunately Orlando City has our very own master Abe Valbuena in house to provide some tips.
3. Read a soccer book
Soccer’s been around a long time, and that means people have been writing about soccer for a long time, too. The great part about our current time? You can get just about any book digitally! Some of my favorites: Simon Kuper’s brilliant Soccernomics, a data-minded look at the world of soccer with a bullish view on the future of the United States national team, has a new edition from the 2018 World Cup; Nick Hornby’s autobiographical novel Fever Pitch is a wonderful personal statement on our relationship to the game (that was somehow made into a Jimmy Fallon baseball movie in 2005); David Pearce’s The Damned Utd is a witty and inventive fictionalized version of Brian Clough’s doomed 44-day stint at Leeds United in 1974; Jonathan Wilson’s Inventing the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics is exactly what it sounds like, a spellbinding read on the strategic history of the sport.
2. Watch City Classics
If you’re still craving the feeling that only watching matches gives, we have a solution. Each Saturday at 7:30 pm EST, Orlando City will be streaming a classic match from the first five years of the club’s MLS tenure (due to restrictions imposed by MLS, only those within the Greater Orlando viewing area are eligible to stream). This weekend’s edition will feature the Lions’ epic rain-soaked duel against Colorado last season, featuring three lead changes and Nani’s first two goals for the club. Jenny, Miguel and I previewed the match this week:
A fan vote determined next week’s selection, Orlando’s dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Portland in April 2018. Keep an eye out on Twitter for a chance to vote on future City Classics, and come join us on Saturday nights to relive some great memories.
1. Kick a ball
The Stay At Home guidelines being enforced through April 9 by Orange County do permit outdoor exercise so long as we follow social distancing and keep six feet apart from others at all times. That means you can still grab some fresh air and work on your dribbling or shooting out in the yard. You don’t even have to go outside–folks have been following the #StayAtHomeChallenge on social media and coming up with inventive new things to kick around. Check out Nani passing around a roll of toilet paper with his son:
How are you staying connected with soccer during this time?
