But something to note. Our money is better. Hence:

I could go on…like how some Italian clubs have supporter groups that are, essentially, neo-nazi/fascist gangs. How, in the past, some english club supporters have rioted and killed dozens (even hundreds) of opposing supporters. How Real Madrid (possibly the most historically successful soccer club on the planet) was, for a long time, part of Franco’s propaganda machine in fascist Spain, and how Barcelona (and it’s basque supporters) were, in a lot of serious way, repressed and abused.

Really, the last, say 150 years of European history can be traced/linked to soccer in a very real and interesting (at least to me) way.

And, Western Europe has it’s issues. Try watching a soccer match from Denmark or Sweden (hell, any of the scandanavian countries) with a team that fields an african player. I can just about guarantee that you’ll hear a sizable portion of the crowd making monkey sounds, and odds are good you’ll see at least a few bananas thrown onto the pitch.

There’s f’ed up shit everywhere…I just think there’s less of it on the other side of the Atlantic.

And, no I’m not european. Born and raised in Southern California…of course, had I the means, I’d pack the wife and kid and move to london in a heartbeat.