Former England captain Rio Ferdinand has urged US President Donald Trump to stop calling the world's most popular sport 'soccer'. Speaking after Trump jokingly suggested he could issue an executive order to align the US with the rest of the world, Ferdinand said the term 'soccer' is an Americanism that should be dropped.
Trump made the comments at the Club World Cup final in New Jersey last Sunday, telling broadcaster DAZN: 'They call it football, we call it soccer. I’m not sure that change could be made very easily.' Despite the light-hearted tone, the remarks reignited a long-standing linguistic debate.
The word 'soccer' actually originated in Britain in the 1880s, derived from 'association football'. It was commonly used in the UK until recent decades, featuring in TV shows like 'Soccer AM' and Bobby Charlton's 'Soccer School'. However, it has since fallen out of favour in Britain, with many now viewing it as an American term.
Dr Stefan Szymanski, a sports management professor at the University of Michigan, argues that the objection to 'soccer' is not the word itself but its association with the US. He points out that given the popularity of American football, it makes sense to differentiate between the two sports.
As the US co-hosts the men's World Cup next year, the debate over terminology is likely to continue. With Lionel Messi playing in MLS and the Premier League's growing popularity, the sport's profile in America is higher than ever.
