Can Southeast Asia be the next international soccer scene?
We’re so close, we really are. With Japan and South Korea defeating the likes of Germany and Portugal at the most recent FIFA World Cup, the international Asian soccer scene is perhaps gaining more attention than ever. And yes — I called it “soccer.” Sue me.
Although neither country came out as champions, they forced the world’s attention towards the East. At face value it’s easy to assume that Japan and South Korea’s success could be credited to their sheer access to resources, and you wouldn’t be wrong. However, by that same logic the United States should be a lot better than they are too — sorry, Coach Berhalter.
What if in actuality, much of Japan and South Korea’s success culminated due to neighboring governing bodies’ lack of investment in their respective countries?
What if leaders in the region, say Southeast Asia, placed as serious of a socioeconomic value on soccer as their contemporaries? Southeast Asia can be the next international soccer scene.
I understand that this is a bit of a hot take, but just hear me out.
A soccer renaissance in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia holds a complex relationship with the sport of soccer. Much like the rest of the world, it is wildly popular across the region. And coupling that with the fact that it boasts four of the top twenty most populous countries in the world — and two of the top 12 in terms of GDP per capita — it’s surely a hotbed, right?
Despite some of these indicators measuring in their favor, Southeast Asia’s soccer scene has been plagued by a plethora of other factors — namely corruption, cheating, and political grafting. It’s not all doom and gloom though, as recent years have brought forth a bit of a renaissance.
There currently exists a new opportunity to do things right; soccer’s popularity is at an all-time high in Southeast Asia. Some premier club teams are…
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