First, let me quickly vent my frustration at the use of the term ‘soccer fan’. While I no doubt am a big fan of the game itself, it makes absolutely no sense to define one’s dedication to the sport in such generic, all-encompassing terms. ‘Soccer fan’ to me is a term used by people who are not sufficiently intested in the game to chose a favorite team (or teams), so they use soccer simply as a way to pass time. Of course, it is way more important than that (here, I will spare you an old Bill Shankly reference that is about as overused as that famous Voltaire reference everybody loves to make when discussing freedom of speak). In case you wondered, my favorites heading to this summer’s European Soccer Championship in Austria and Switzerland, are Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, in no particular order.
That said, I can of course still recognize why gays can be drawn to soccer, even without a longstanding passion for any particular team or playing style or whatever. That reason, as is often the case with gays, is the easy access to fit males stretching their physical limits. In my last post, I placed Portuguese International and World’s Best Player, Cristiano Ronaldo in the #6 spot on my Sexiest Males list, and he alone is a reason to hope for a long and successful campaign for Portugal. The best pictures that are available of him is in fact still the ones taken when he was playing for Portugal in the World Cup two years ago, and hopefully it is not to much to ask for a reprise in that matter as well. Portugal will also not be a drag to watch, soccer-wise, at least not if you judge them by their impressive 2-0 win against Turkey Saturday night. The only possibly drawback is that behind Ronaldo they do not have very many sexy players. Then again, who cares? If Ronaldo takes his top off after the game, or flexes his ass every once in a while, I’m sold anyhow.

Two days in, I have yet to come across the unexpected hunk, but German winger Bastian Schweinsteiger is growing on me. Fellow German Lukas Podolski caught my attention two years ago, and he is still someone to lay your eyes. Same goes for left defender Phillip Lahm, in a sort of geeky way. It’s early still, but I’m pretty sure I will never be bored, not matter the quality of the game. And Germany look strong this year, in every sense of the word.

Tonight, another one of my long-held favorites, the Netherlands, will go up against Italy in Group C. As Italy represents all that is evil in soccer, I would be surprised if they are chock full of eye candy, but the Dutch have provided a steady stream over the years. Unfortunately, Arsenal striker Robin van Persie is reportedly injured, as is Real Madrid’s Arjen Robben and Liverpool’s Ryan Babel, but their supply seems unending. If all else fails, I could of course nurture my somewhat odd attraction fellow Pudlian Dirk Kuyt.

These guys are just a handful of reasons why gays should not turn their backs on soccer. The list is likely to grow as the campaign rolls on.