For their part, the Spanish team had some pretty good ballplayers, too: Ricky, Rudy, Jose Calderon (who was out for the gold medal game), Juan Carlos Navarro, and, as they call them in Spain, los. Ciclismo (Cycling): This is another prevalent sport officially began on May 31, 1868, with a 1,200-metre (1,312-yard) race between the fountains and the entrance of Saint-Cloud Park (near Paris) and it has been an outstanding sport in Spain since the 1940s. The Hispanic population has a lot many athletes who are champions in their respective teams and received several medals and awards. She is an actress and producer, known for Maria Full of Grace (2004), A Most Violent Year (2014) and The Bridge (2013). Unlike some other countries overseas like Germany, Israel or Italy, Spain only allows two Americans per team. Greece The turning point for basketball in Greece was when, in 1987, the men's national team won, for the first time, the EuroBasket Championship. The purpose now is to shed light on the feats of those who might not have enjoyed the mainstream spotlight in the U.S. but have nevertheless made important contributions to their sports and countries. In Nicaragua, the American-style baseball is the most popular sport played, making it a tradition with five teams competing against each other. But as popular as the game is becoming among fans, Latino professional players are still scarce. This started a significant growth in the popularity of the sport. A playoff determines the champion of U.S. soccer. I'm not just speaking about guys from these countries that have played in the NBA, either. Colombia is the largest Spanish speaking country in terms of population. Erichsen, Gerald. In 2013, the mens national team obtained their first EuroBasket title, and, in 2014, for the first time also, they made it to the podium in the FIBA World Cup. It doesnt matter what language you speak, everybody can understand sports. Over 67% of the population speaks Spanish. Despite the growth we have observed in the sport around the world, basketball is certainly not yet a way of life in Central and South America. It was something small, but it said a lot about how much he cared -- about me, about the team and about the game of basketball. Copyright FIBA All rights reserved. The Latino influence on U.S. basketball only came to the attention of the general basketball public in 2003 when Argentinean Manu Ginobili and Brazilian Nen both scored double digits in points per game for the year, solidifying them as impact players at the highest level of play. All of the nations and territories that have Spanish as their majority language are (in alphabetical order): Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, Venezuela Players often have a more instinctual understanding of offensive spacing on the floor, leading to a higher chance of exploiting the defense. Volleyball is a sport that is popular in many Spanish-speaking countries. Highlighting the strong relationship between Spain and the U.S. Highlighting the successes of U.S. - Spain relations. In Latin America, the love for the game has. For their part, the Spanish team had some pretty good ballplayers, too: Ricky, Rudy, Jose Calderon (who was out for the gold medal game), Juan Carlos Navarro, and, as they call them in Spain, los hermanos Gasol. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Here is a list of all the Spanish-speaking countries by region and their capitals. When it comes to their national league, the KK Partizan and KK Crvena Zvezda, both from Belgrade, are two of the most successful basketball clubs in the country. Spanish Speaking Countries in the Americas and the Caribbean: Argentina Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. That U.S. team, of course, was absolutely stacked: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony, to name a few. These are some of the most well known Mexican Americans in the United States. In Italy, basketball is among the most followed and watched team sports. The language exposes communal and lingual standards to make a pattern of understanding each other norms and senses. This is true especially during fast breaks. He played only a few more seasons due to a career ending injury, but before retiring, he collected a championship ring with Magic Johnson and the "showtime" Lakers. The financial stability and drug-free image that the NBA is known for now were not more than a dream until the early 1980s. Here are the Spanish-speaking countries of South America and their respective percentages of the population who speak Spanish: Argentina 98% Bolivia 83% Chile 96% Colombia 99% Ecuador 96% Paraguay 68% Peru 87% Uruguay 98% Venezuela 97% Spanish-speaking countries in Central America On the other hand, Gibraltar has its own national team recognized by FIBA Europe. Many youngsters who dont feel attracted to ftbol (soccer) see themselves as outsiders and find refuge in basketball. So, as someone with experience playing in Spain, was I amazed that the Spaniards pushedTeam USAto the brink? These losses were the first since professional athletes were allowed to participate in Olympic games - an era that began with the Dream Team's inception and annual dominance in 1992 - and humiliatingly eliminated them from competition. I used to see these Spanish youngsters, anywhere from 8-14 years old, working out in my team's gym, especially if I'd go in at night to get treatment from our crotchety old Spanish trainer. Romo threw for 34,183 yards, 248 touchdowns, 2,829 completions, and 117 interceptions throughout his 13-year NFL career. It continues to be dominated by the United States, however, so it shouldn't be surprising that much of the Spanish-language vocabulary of the game comes from English. These all may seem like little things, but they go a long way. Equatorial Guinea has become quite a linguistic curiosity since Spanish is still so prevalent. This means that Spanish has a large number of speakers in Latin American. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. I've seen respected veterans get short-changed on playing time, but not say a word about it, and I've seen guys stand up on the bench and scream support for a teammate who was taking his minutes. Videos Spanish Speaking Countries Song & display (2. Barclaycard Center, Real Madrids Stadium. in Latin America, but the gap is closing and every year more fans and players keep adding to it. Professional soccer leagues in Europe, such as the Barclays Premier League in England, Serie A in Italy, La Liga in Spain and the Bundesliga in Germany, typically run from mid-August until the end of May. Here are the 10 Spaniards playing in the NBA's 2016/2017 season. To see a full list of Sports Spanish Vocabulary, Frontline Sports in Spanish speaking countries. As Latino players emmigrate to the NBA, their personalities and cultures flavor the league with new styles of play and approaches to the game, creating diversity that breeds basketball evolution. If you want to say your favorite sports phrase in Spanish, try saying "Mi deporte favorito es deporte" or "El deporte que ms me gusta es el/la deporte.". Spanish football is dominated by arch rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona, with few other teams getting a look in. Please see the videos below as well as the files to download. While the system in Spain is obviously not perfect, they do a damn good job of teaching, playing and respecting the game. Best for affordable volunteering: IVHQ in Peru. Jose Juan Barea Jose Juan Barea is an active player for the Dallas Mavericks. In recent years, many Australian players have made it to the NBA, spiking interest again. Calle de Salvador Tomasetti 21-37. Download source here 20% of the country's population is made up of indigenous people, Aymara and Quechua included. Since its origins in late-18th-century Massachusetts, basketball has become an international sport. Throughout Latin America, a place of wildly diverse climate and geography layouts, the basketball landscape is as varied as the environmental topography. The largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, referring to population size, is Mexico with over 118 million people (2013). With LeBron James out with an injury, the Lakers need Anthony Davis to play at his peak if they want to save their season. It was crazy, and by the end of the gameTeam USA's lead had basically disappeared. Either way, across the United States, Nen and Ginobili are household names from a region that is changing the game rapidly before our eyes. It's a lot of fun, and I bet you'll see why they've closed the gap with Team USA to a tiny fraction of what it once was. The basketball cultures of these Latin American countries display obvious categorical differences among them. Actually, the NBA is considered to be one of the most popular sports leagues in China. Well take a look at the countries where this sport is widely played and followed. Find out more about the greatest Spanish Sportspersons, including Gerard Piqu, Pep Guardiola, Rafael Nadal, Fernando Torres and Pau Gasol. By Naismith's death in 1939, his original 13 rules of the game had been translated into 50 languages. The Federation, which receives substantial support from the government, also focuses on player development by keeping binders of information on young talent from around the country, starting when the players are about 16 years old. When you think of the basketball or the NBA, you may not think there are many Latino players. The top Spanish League, Liga ACB, is a member of ULEB, and the top Spanish League teams can compete in Europe, most notably in the Euroleague and Eurocup, and also under the FIBA Europe umbrella, in the FIBA Europe Cup. Jose Juan Barea is from Peurto Rico. They definitely have highly developed skill sets, but to be honest, I've never played with a Spanish guy who I didn't consider to be a great teammate. It's definitely different than my experiences growing up, when I played a lot of games on travel teams, school teams and AAU teams, without much organized time devoted to my individual development as a player. Basketball isnt as popular in Croatia as it is in other countries. Spain has great players like Felipe Reyes, Alex Mumbr and Victor Sada, just to name a couple, who have never logged a minute in the NBA. Especially because of their NBA star, Pau Gasol, who is, arguably, one of the best ambassadors of Spanish basketball. Spanish speaking countries stand out itself majorly in the field of sports. This is just one example of how basketball in Latin America has adapted to cultural differences. America is beginning to respect and learn about basketball in other countries, and this changing landscape is creating a melting pot of basketball knowledge and talent in the NBA. All Rights Reserved. Their top league, the ACB, is widely considered to be the best domestic league in Europe, with five teams having already qualified to play in the Euroleague, a competition of all the top clubs overseas. Gerald Erichsen is a Spanish language expert who has created Spanish lessons for ThoughtCo since 1998. Latino Basketball Although basketball isnt the top sport in Russia, there is still a massive fanbase around it. After that, the nation has been a strong competitor in major International basketball competitions. She has been married to David Elwell since April 15, 2006. Also, when it comes to team sports, basketball is the second most popular in the country, in terms of participation. They also play futsal, a variation of soccer. Therefore, slowly sparking more interest in basketball, which may lead to a rise in popularity. Then, in the EuroBasket Championship, the national team has achieved the top places in about ten occasions, winning their first title in 1983. Basketball is a review game that naturally builds in differentiation! 5; Manu Ginbili, an Argentine-Italian professional basketball player; Lorena Ochoa Reyes, a Mexican professional golfer; Juan Manuel Mrquez Mndez, a Mexican professional boxer; and Carmelo Anthony, an American professional basketball player are some of the famous Hispanic athletes. In Canada, the popularity of basketball is continually growing, with millions of Canadians following the sport every year. In recent years, the nation has had better success in international competitions, marking, for some, a new era for French basketball. Even coaches who work with young players need to be knowledgeable and dedicated enough to get certification, and I think that helps, because players obviously benefit from experienced instruction. The system they've developed certainly doesn't guarantee success for every young basketball player in Spain, but it seems like it does a pretty good job of trying to maximize the possibilities. Bolivia is a Spanish speaking country with lots of indigenous influences. And this success is only expected to keep growing, Granted, the basketball culture isnt at the same level of. I was in heaven at this point, rooting for my country but definitely relishing the unbelievable circumstances of a down-to-the-wire gold medal game. The ethnic identity that originally came from Spain was Hispanic. If you're interested, watch the Spanish play. If you're looking at Spain's success on the basketball court, you have to start with their player development. 6. But they were definitely getting practical experience cooperating with other people, and I think this translates into better basketball. From Belize to Colombia, Uruguay to the well-established basketball countries of Argentina and Brazil, you can see a progression of basketball infrastructure. by Alisonmullan. We have translated and edited for our readers). Other top teams include Valencia (winners of the Spanish League and Champions' League in 2004), Deportivo La Corua and Real Sociedad. Baloncesto (Basketball): Another favorite team sport that is being played in Spanish countries. Which countries speak Spanish? bal. ) ThoughtCo. When the young man of Cuban descent entered the league in 2002, he immediately showed the world his power. Basketball is the second most popular sport in Spain, directly behind association football. Needless to say, when a country has such great triumphs in the international arena, the games popularity explodes. Sports in Spanish | Learn Spanish Vocabulary, To see a full list of Sports Spanish Vocabulary. Baseball is also one of the most played sports in Spanish speaking countries particularly in Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Venezuela. I've played two more years in Spain since watching the United Stateswin gold, and I've only grown more convinced that Spain's continued basketball success both internationally and at home is no coincidence. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Basketball is an immensely popular sport, which, in recent years, its considered to be among the fastest-growing sports worldwide. Basketball culture in Latin America helps to , and keep young people away from drugs and gangs. All Spanish learners should know this because if they ever go to Spain or another country they will understand their culture better and be able to connect with people by mentioning soccer or other sports. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Club Baloncesto de Malaga, Calle Rosa de la Cronica, 14-16. Basketball was popularized by the American when they introduced it in the early 20th century. In fact, even in Spanish-speaking countries, English terms may be understood more readily than their Spanish equivalents. In Spain, young players don't just play basketball, they learn basketball. The global expansion of basketball can now be traced like a diaspora throughout the world. Basketball in Argentina is a sport that wasnt that popular, not too long ago. Here are the top 5 non-Hispanic countries with the most Spanish speakers: United States - 56,757,391 speakers. In this way, the culture is very similar to that in the United States. The crime rate in Venezuela ranks among the worst among the region's Spanish speaking countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and Guyana, among others. Sports are a massive part of culture. simply because Pau is one of the most influential Spanish speaking players in NBA history. When it comes to international competitions, the nation has attained a couple of medals in the Summer Olympics. At the tender age of 39, Ortiz was the leader of that historic Puerto Rican National team who stunned the United States by beating them 92-73 in their first game of the Athens Olympics. There are 79 Spanish speaking countries around the world, and sports have always played an important part of their culture and lifestyle. Empirical evidence would support this. The United States is actually the country where basketball originated. I prefer playing tennis to playing basketball.Prefiero jugar al tenis a jugar al baloncesto. Kids from Mexico to Argentina not only know who LeBron James and Steph Curry are, but they model their game after them andarguably the most crucial of allthey buy their brand-name shoes. After his playing career was over, Lee returned to his native country and became one of the most respected head coaches in the National Superior Basketball League, a summer league that has employed coaching legends such as Red Holtzman, Tex Winter, K.C. Related: Free Printable Flags for Spanish-Speaking Countries. Now that weve seen how popular basketball is in Latin America and Spain, lets turn our attention to useful vocabulary in Spanish. And this success is only expected to keep growing in the future. Those countries are Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela. In 1985 Fernando Martn was the first Spaniard to join an NBA team and the list of Spanish players that have succeeded in the worlds most famous basketball league has skyrocketed since then. If you consider this as the tipping point for the globalization of the sport in the form we see today, the sport as an international phenomenon is only 20 years old - still quite a young social movement. Its considered to be one of the four major sports in the U.S., next to baseball, American football, and hockey. These kids were learning and practicing key basketball basics, but they were also being taught important social lessons about the game. The official Argentinian league is called the Liga Nacional, founded in 1985. Besides the popular basketball leagues in the United States, many people also hear about the sport via the athletes. Therefore, it wont come as a surprise that this country is also where basketball is, arguably, the most popular. Your email address will not be published. It has a population of 50 million people . The countries in this list are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Paraguay. As a result, there are many basketball schools and courts where young talent can be developed. Basketball also has to compete with baseball in Central American countries like El Salvador, Nicaragua and Cuba, as well as volleyball in South America, most notably in Brazil and Argentina, where the volleyball is at its best. That led to people leading more active lifestyles and being happier overall. While there's some debate over this, I included 21 in my lists and maps. The beauty of sports is how they unite people, transcend borders, and generate emotions (and money) all over the world. Lucha de Toro (Bull Fighting): Being a national game of Spain, this game retrieves the cultural heritage of Spanish countries. The simplicity and accessibility of basketball made it easy for the Philippines to become obsessed with the sport. Bolivia's most widely spoken language is Spanish. A common mistake is calling a Spanish-speaking person Spanish. The golden generation of Argentinian basketball players that won the gold medal at the Olympic Games of Athens 2004, also played a big role in Latin Americas current love for basketball.