Arsenal Fever Is a Transcontinental Malady

How My American Family Became Obsessed with an English Soccer Team

The soccer match was in London, I was in Tokyo, but the incessant text updates on the recent FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Aston Villa cascading down my phone’s screen came from St. Louis. Such are the ways of globalized sports, circa 2015; and of my dad’s Arsenal obsession—which has been a kind of red glue binding our family together for years. On this particular Saturday night, the updates became ever more exuberant, as Arsenal won the trophy handed over by Prince William in convincing 4-0 fashion.

Dad’s …