In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Football”. This episode was recorded during the European Championship and it spurred a conversation about why men are generally more enthusiastic about football than women. How is women’s football doing in terms of equality, support and funding? What is the Mohammad Salah effect. They discuss their findings on the history of the game and some interesting facts. There’s poetry, too!

Why more men are interested in football than women:

https://time.com/4322947/men-women-sports-evolution/

Psychology of football supporters - need for identification/belonging:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-science-of-fandom/202302/why-football-fans-get-so-emotional

https://neurosciencenews.com/fan-emotion-brain-25236/

https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/culture/carol-ann-duffy-womens-football/

Shakespeare on Football:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1S1GnZzSNft0WpBRK92bW8T/back-of-ye-net

https://nosweatshakespeare.com/blog/shakespeare-beautiful-game/

Stoic response to fandom:

https://modernstoicism.com/stoicism-sports-and-fandom-an-exchange-by-tim-lebon-and-greg-sadler/

The Mohammad Salah effect:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/can-exposure-to-celebrities-reduce-prejudice-the-effect-of-mohamed-salah-on-islamophobic-behaviors-and-attitudes/A1DA34F9F5BCE905850AC8FBAC78BE58

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at:

[email protected]