Exactly, I have been thinking that for years - it's very fucking weird to care about the careers and success of people who don't even know you or care about you. I say that too.
I guess what keeps me semi-interested is loving football from a beauty of the game perspective - the wonderful play and goals etc. But even that is becoming few and far between, as I note above.
I am right there with you - it is a form of celebrity worshipping and we should focus on our own lives. Tbh the only games I watch now are international tournaments, some CL games, and Man United (as it's fun seeing those pricks lose due to their hubris). However, I too wish I could just give it up entirely, well done to you. I have definitely stopped a lot of it though. Up until taking a break recently, my own football playing was far more important to me, as that's about my own ability and something I have some control over.
Your post opens up a can of worms, though - is watching films for example 'celebrity worshipping' as we enjoy stores and narratives? I guess it isn't if we don't follow the personal lives of actors, same as watching football isn't really celebrity worshipping if you don't follow personal lives of players. But I suppose the distinction is a film is a thing that doesn't change and is pre-determined when you watch it, whereas football is a game so the outcome is something that people are invested in ergo it's more following other people's success than watching a film or reading a book is. I guess getting happy or angry someone does or doesn't win an Oscar is like caring if a footballer wins a trophy or an individual award like the Ballon d'Or. Personally I don't care about that bollocks.
It's tough to say, but I would definitely agree a lot with you. Even this thread - I always wax lyrical about Messi, but I also always make clear I do not care about him as a person. He's a stranger to me and has no impact in my life other than enjoying watching his football ability. Maybe others follow his personal life and care about him and his life (Ronaldo fanboys are very celebrity worshipping for me, they act like they're related to the dickhead) and that's just not the sort of thing I am interested in. I just love to see his ability with a ball.
Edit - oh and I know that ex had you very depressed, you discussed it at the time. So well done on getting over her and finding a new lass. Very pleased for you, mate.
I think films are more like "events". You can watch a film once per month, rethink reality if the message that comes with that film is wise etc. Its not something that you're doing regularly (it becomes a similar problem when you're watching those regularly, but watching films regularly is not necessary)
To be a football fan that wants to be able to have a discussions about football, you are kinda FORCED to watch football week in week out. La Liga week in week out, Premier League week in week out, UCL from time to time, many leagues, many teams, politics around football, transfer windows, financial situations of clubs, interviews, personal lives of footballers, controversions with referees, coaches and their tactics, theres so much to follow that if you're actually invested in all that - you're wasting SO MUCH of your time, football HAVE to be one of main topics in your day to day life and you're kinda DISCRACTED from your own life. All that just to know everything about football celebrities who doesnt even know you exist and generate money for huge clubs, leagues, companies and people who are already rich.
Its so much different than watching a film for its lore, vibe, wisedom or simply for action and pleasure. And you can even get something for you from that if you're a thinker. On the other hand, you can learn nothing from watching football obsessively.
I think that my relationship with football is healthy now. I like checking up on Messi because hes a magician and literally the best in history + his career is beautiful and written in stars especially with that World Cup win.
Maybe I'll watch some Poland NT games from time to time because its my country
Maybe I'll watch some Barcelona games because I like Lewandowski and Barcelona is one of my favorites clubs
But I dont care about Haaland career and if hes better than Lewandowski in his prime and whats happening in next transfer window and what Guardiola said in last interview and if bad referees decisions are more favorable for club X or club Y and how well season is going for next FC Barcelona rivals.
I would only care if Ronaldo break his leg bone so he cant play football ever again while sitting on 999 career goals because that would be funny
