Let’s face it, football (known as soccer in the USA) is the most popular sport in most European countries. Whereas American football and baseball dominant the sports headlines in the US, European Football garners all the attention of European sports enthusiasts, particularly in Spain.

One of the best ways to immerse within a new culture is to become knowledgeable of the new culture. While you can’t learn everything about every place you visit, spending a little time learning about a country’s passion can go a long way in making a good impression and a few new friends on vacation. Football is a great sport to learn about as it’s an easy way to strike up a conversation with almost any Spaniard. To help you out, here are the basics you need to know about football in Spain.

First off, football is the most followed sport in Spain. In the same way that rowdy fans passionately cheer for their preferred football team in the US, football fans in Spain do the same. Spend an afternoon at a professional football game in Madrid or Barcelona and you’ll quickly learn just how passionate fans can be.

The Liga de Futbol Professional (Professional Football League) is one of the most successful football leagues in all of Europe and is split into two divisions. The top, ultra competitive division is called the Primera Liga and consists of the best football clubs in the country. This league currently includes teams such as FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Athletic Club de Bilbao, Atlético de Madrid and a few more clubs.

The Segunda Division is the second tier league in Spain. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that this league is any less exciting to watch. The Segunda Division consists of 22 teams fighting for a spot ion the Primera Liga. The action is hot and the stakes are high as teams fight to advance to the upper division.

Prior to visiting Spain, it’d be a good idea to watch the headlines to get updates on the progress of teams in the Liga de Futbol. Pay close attention to the top teams like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona as they are most liked and controversial clubs in the leagues. A match-up between these two teams is similar to that of when the NY Yankees and Mets battle it out in the subway series. You can easily start a conversation, or argument, about the merits of each of these football clubs with just about any Spanish football fan.

Whether you’re a big fan of sports or not, attending a football game in Spain will help you to connect with the culture in ways that sightseeing can’t. Add a little knowledge of the sport to this experience and you’ll certainly feel more involved and in-touch than you otherwise would.