‘Welcome To Wrexham’ Might Finally Explain Soccer’s Appeal

The global popularity of soccer has always been a mystery for Americans. With its low scores, slow pace, and vast number of leagues and tournaments, soccer has never been able to seriously compete with other sports. “The Simpsons” captured this perfectly when the town of Springfield is swept up in soccer fever, only to be sorely disappointed with the actual game and resort to rioting.

In Hulu’s new television documentary series “Welcome to Wrexham,” much of the mystery behind soccer is finally dispelled. What starts as something of a vanity project for movie star Ryan Reynolds and TV star Rob McElhenney soon becomes an in-depth examination of the way sports and culture intersect. The two men gradually learn that in purchasing an underachieving football club in Wrexham, Wales, they didn’t just assume the roles of sports franchise owners, but of veritable guardians of a whole community of people.

At the beginning of the series, Reynolds and McElhenney introduce themselves and the project before them. As a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, McElhenney is committed to the idea of sports bringing a city together and inspiring people from all walks of life. When his British friend introduces him to soccer, he considers the possibility of owning one of the more obscure teams in the lower leagues and trying to make it better. And because this requires a great deal of money, he enlists his friend Ryan Reynolds to join him.

As the business side of things is happening in the U.S., the show covers the reaction and thinking of the players, coaches, trainers, janitors, managers, local musicians, fans, and pretty much every person in Wrexham. Most of the town is overjoyed at the prospect of seeing their moribund football team overhauled and transformed into a real contender that could be promoted to a higher league. A few are skeptical first but are won over when the team starts winning.

Learning About Local Culture

While the lavish attention given to so many aspects of the Wrexham football club can become a bit excessive — seriously, a whole episode devoted to hooliganism? — the picture it puts together is fascinating. With each person interviewed, the audience begins to see a former industrial town that has been hollowed out and left with little to take pride in beyond their local soccer team, which itself has suffered a similar decline.

Moreover, each episode reveals just how much of the local culture is invested in these soccer clubs. The best episode is probably “Wide World of Wales,” which gives a rundown of Welsh history and traditions and hardly mentions soccer. At times, this is endearing, as some of the interviewees discuss their lifelong support of the team and how they’ve formed friendships and found joy through it.

At other times, when one is reminded that the Wrexham team, though one of the oldest sports franchises in the world, was never very good, the devotion of the fans can seem desperate. These people should be spending time with

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