What’s in a Ball? One helluva lot, a ginormous lot, if it is Football, in the feet of Messi or Mbappe. Players and spectators wear their emotions on their sleeves.
These images from the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup show this well.
The first was at the beginning of the World Cup. Iranian players stood silent in protest as their anthem played. They risked their lives. Their protest may not bear fruit immediately, and in time will. The expression was both instinctive as a reaction, and intuitive as a foreteller of the future. We won’t stand for injustice, was the message from the young in spirit to old in power. Their heart overcame their brains. Worldwide people prayed for their safety.
In comparison, the German protest against rainbow armbands with hands on mouth, attracted sarcastic memes.
The second was midway through the program. While tempers frayed and cards were shown in plenty, a bunch of Japanese went about cleaning up the stadium at the end of the day’s game. No one told them to. They were not protesting. They simply followed their culture. It was to be clean in mind, body, surroundings and spirit. They exemplified the spirit of seiketsu they use in many aspects of their work life culture. This behaviour coupled with the Japanese coach bowing after their defeat to Croatia with dignity, vulnerability and grace was admired by billions around the world. It was emotionally fulfilling for all who witnessed. Japan won hearts.
Who said Football is a game? So is Life.
Football is a culture. It’s truly a culture of the masses, of the common men and women, unlike most other games. It’s a team sport for one. It’s dynamic, energetic, and emotional in a way no other game is. It costs little to play the game. It’s about skill, both mental and physical. It’s also about behaviour, collaboration while competing.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 generated protests against FIFA and Qatar for discriminating against LGBTQ, and violating human rights of immigrant workers, who died building the stadia. In the end the show went on. Qatar was guilty perhaps. It is easier though to protest against and malign Qatar than China.
In any such event, there is only one winner on the podium. There were many winners of the hearts of spectators through their individual and collective contributions. France at the finals had 10 players of colour, with only the captain white. Diversity reigned. Unlike every major football event played in European locations, there were no drunk hooligans destroying public property if their teams lost. For a change, spectators at the stadia dressed well.
Fans await the 2026 FIFA World Cup in USA/Canada/Mexico locations. Is that going to be any different?
Would Kylian Mbappe, already the golden boot winner, score 5 more goals to become the highest world cup goals scorer? He will only be 28 in 2026. Would Mbappe replace King Messi? Whoever is the next cup winner, the spirit of football as a uniter will continue. It is the most watched and played of all sports and games, cutting across boundaries of wealth, power, race, culture, and gender prejudices. It inspires billions when the Moroccan and French teams showed that people of African origin can dominate a game thus far the prerogative of Europeans and Latin Americans.
In the end, rightfully, the Game won. Humanity won. Diversity won. Every single team that played won. This is what the Olympic spirit is, which every major sports event ought to follow. It’s the journey, not the outcome, which matters. That is what the third image shows. The King and the Prince hug. Long live the King!
