SOCCER: America and the world

The electronic age: I have not yet received today's issue of The Economist, but I can get it on the web: A lead article on soccer is very timely in view of the world championship in Korea and Japan. It begins: "International football is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Yet the game is less about money than about passion and national pride. On the night of July 12th 1998, a million people spilled on to the streets of Paris and converged on the Champs-Elysées. France's victory over Brazil in the World Cup final that night sparked the biggest popular celebrations in the French capital since the liberation of Paris from the Nazis in 1944. It is safe to predict that on June 30th this year, as another World Cup is won, there will again be wild rejoicing somewhere in the world. According to the bookmakers, it may be in France again; or in Argentina, a football-mad country in desperate need of a boost to its morale". The article is illustrated with a picture of a man waving the French tricolor.

Well, I switched on Spanish-language TV, and it was devoting the time to the match between France and Senegal, which Senegal won by 1 to 0. Presumably the French tricolor dropped to half-mast. The atmosphere was electric with excitement. Even as peaceful a person as I could not help admiring the incredible energy and team coordination displayed by both sides. The egalitarian implications of this for international affairs is enormous. Despite their rivalry, these two nations are interacting in a way that will have positive results.

I turned on American TV, and just the usual stuff. The US was present at the soccer championship: the TV rights were owned by Coca-Cola, whose name appeared all over the place. "The game is less about money that about passion and national pride". Well... The US was also represented by an attractive blonde woman in a cage: she was protesting against maltreatment of animals, especially of cats and dogs, which are eaten in Korea. The police beat up other protesters, but she was allowed to protest peacefully in her cage.

The world is protesting against the American belief that the US can go it alone. This normally refers to military and political policy, but what about soccer, the metric system, etc., etc? The US refuses to join the International Criminal Court because it might be harassed by some despicable Third World government, a legitimate concern. But suppose the US is defeated at soccer by Senegal? Oh shame! i suppose the US is taking part in the chamnpionship, but I have not seen a mention of it in the US press. One more example of my ignorance.

Ronald Hilton - 5/31/02