Football and sports medicine: A special issue to celebrate the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

摘要

The importance of football, or soccer as it is called in North America, was described by the late Pope John Paul II as follows: 'amongst all unimportant subjects, football is by far the most important'. One should only have to look at the games played during the recently concluded FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil to understand the influence of football on society. Every game was sold out, and many supporters flew or drove thousands of kilometers to watch the games, making the World Cup a truly universal event. Supporters were buoyed by the successes of their teams and experienced true agony with each defeat. An entire nation and many adoring international fans of Neymar Jr. anxiously awaited his diagnosis when he injured his back during a game. They were extremely relieved when they were told that his injury would not affect his life or his career.