Quote:I think an important point made by dragonfury there is that there are at least twenty other sports competing for attention in Europe.

We've just got back from holiday in Croatia and they seem to be really into their water polo and basketball over there - two sports which really aren't in the picture over here.

But soccer could possibly claim to be the only true global sport.

Yes there are rugby world cups (dominated by Australia, South Africa, France, pacific islands and New Zealand as well as British nations) and cricket world cups (which are huge in places like India and Pakistan). But the closest thing you'll come to anything that can rival soccer for true international appeal might be something like golf or tennis

Only the Olympics competes with the World Cup as a global sports event