Welcome to Football ... oh, Soccer!
Bennington, VT — "Welcome to Football” exclaims the legendary Brazilian soccer star Pele in an ad for Puma sports gear. Football or as we call it Soccer, remains the truly global sport which is still proudly nationalistic. Over the past few weeks and leading to its crescendo finals matches in early July, much of the sporting world has been fixated on a series of games across Germany which will decide who wins the coveted World Cup.
As it so obviously the case in the Olympics or in the World Cup of Football, these global games very quickly boil down to high octane nationalism. Though all the teams, let’s be frank, are made up of sportsmen who usually play in other countries for superstar salaries, (eg. Britain’s Beckham in Real Madrid) the National Teams are often a perfect synthesis of national pride and aspiration.
Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal —the powerhouses, and the surprising newcomers Ukraine, Mexico. Team USA despite all the hope, the hype and hosannas did not get to the quarter finals despite a memorable 1-1 game against Italy.
So all the talk of one world and global this and that will come down to a few very national teams facing each other on the green field of sport like rival armies. They are cheered on or jeered at by throngs of near frenzied fans waving national flags with near tribal abandon. Anyone who doesn’t think this is national pride should hear the din of the English fans, watch the Mexicans, see the South Koreans, or even the reserved Swiss!
Germany the host country, has done a superb job in preparing and holding four weeks of games which will lead to the final match in Berlin on July 9th.
In many ways Soccer is like diplomacy—illustrating the constant ebb and flow of fortunes, the consistent movement but little scoring, and the tedious and tiring pace which approaches the goal—nearly scores, only to be sent reeling back across the field. In other words the movement and flux appears never really clear except for scoring occasional goals. And yes, sometimes the game ends with no goal 0-0, but this too no matter how disappointing and boring still evokes multilateral diplomacy too!
But has soccer, what the Euros often call “the beautiful game,” become an American sport? Yes and No. Here’s the glaring contradiction. American kids play soccer from coast to coast while soccer Moms are not only the drivers/coaches but indeed a fixture of our political vocabulary. Still few American soccer players have followed the World Cup games with more than a passing yawn. I’m certain there are many exceptions, but for a reason I don’t understand, this now popular American sport does not tune into the world soccer scene.
Like American NFL football’s annual Superbowl, the FIFA World Cup has advertisements which are often as interesting as the game or better. Here there’s genuine globalization but with a truly creative twist. Puma sports gear has a memorable ad with Pele exclaiming “Welcome to Football.” Budweiser beer has a stunning stadium scene, with mass placards, showing its beer being poured into a glass and then being finished. The color card flipping sequence, something evoking political rallies in Mainland China.
The Dutch ABN Amro bank group estimates that the economy of a World Cup winner grows by an additional 0.7 percent while a loss cuts growth by 0.3 percent! This is a serious game!
As we approach the crescendo expect to see unalloyed nationalism and patriotism. While teams from the European Union will be in the semi-finals, France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal, don’t expect a flurry of EU mania but a surge of old fashioned patriotism complete with flags, banners, and chants.
So Wilkommem zum Fussball, or Soccer if you like!
John J. Metzler is a U.N. correspondent covering diplomatic and defense
issues. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com. |
