Are you ready for some fútbol?
Tonight, Manchester United (Man U) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will square off at Soldier Field in what will be the last match for each team in this year's International Champions Cup. For the non-soccer fan who wants to get in on the excitement of two of Europe's biggest football clubs coming to Chicago, here's some ways to get pumped up for tonight's big match.
Brush up on your terminology and rules: It's been a while since the Women's World Cup wrapped up, so you may be rusty on the game's rules and terms. Remember, the field is called a pitch, the uniform is referred to as a kit and the game itself is called football, despite the objection of every red-blooded American in our country. Any other clarification of rules or terminology can be found by playing a few games of FIFA.
Pick a side to root for: Like any spectator sport, the viewing experience is much better when you have a team to cheer for. In this instance you have Man U, who are basically the Yankees of European football, and PSG, who are from France, which is gross. It's also loads of fun to vehemently root against the team your friends claim allegiance to, just for trolling purposes.
Buy gear: Now that you have a team picked out, it's time to look the part. Deck yourself out in your club's colors, don a vintage tweed cap to make you look European and, most importantly, get one of those sweet scarves that have the logo design of the club you're supporting. You'll need it to wave around when they start kicking their opponent's ass.
Learn team songs and cheers: The atmosphere inside a stadium for a football match overseas is even more electric and intense than one you would find at a big-time college football stadium in America. A big part of that are the stadium-wide songs and cheers the fans belt out in unison at different points of the match. Check out what chants and songs your chosen team hollers and get ready to yell them out so as to emulate the awesome overseas experience and to taunt the opposition's fans when they lose.
Engage in hooliganism: You think NFL fans in America are a bunch of violent drunks? Soccer hooligans make us look like amateurs when it comes to being goons while supporting the team. Get liquored up and support your team by any means necessary. Brawling, riots, whatever it takes. Turn Soldier Field into a real-life scene from Green Street Hooligans. That'll show the world that America has truly come to embrace soccer. Err, I mean football.