“Many malignant readers, seeing how I discuss here the noble sport of soccer with detachment, irritation, and (oh, all right) malevolence, will harbor the vulgar suspicion that I don’t love soccer because soccer has never loved me, for from my earliest childhood I belonged to that category of infants or adolescents who, the moment they kick the ball — assuming that they manage to kick it – promptly send it into their own goal or, at best, pass it to the opponent, unless with stubborn tenacity they send it off the field, beyond hedges and fences, to become lost in a basement or a stream or to plunge among the flavors of the ice—cream cart. And so his playmates reject him and banish him from the happiest of competitive events. And no suspicion will ever be more patently true. … And perhaps for this reason I (alone, I think, among living creatures) have always associated the game of soccer with negative philosophies. This having been said, the question could arise as to why I, of all people, should now discuss the World Cup. …”
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Umberto Eco’s “Eternal Fascism” And The Long Shadow Of The Past
W – Umberto Eco
Mussolini and his black shirts march on Rome, October 1922
Umberto Eco – Travels in Hyperreality: The World Cup and Its Pomps (1978)
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“IT SEEMS bizarre that, despite the multitude of missiles falling on Tehran, the counter-strikes across the Middle East and the punchy rhetoric of the United States, FIFA are even considering to run the World Cup this summer. Let’s remember that the US is a host nation in this World Cup and host means ‘welcoming’ your visitors. And yet, Haiti, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Iran have either had partial or full travel bans slapped on them by the Trump administration. Furthermore, Mexico (co-hosts) and Colombia have been ‘warned’ by the US. Yes, Mexico, who helped the US win hosting rights for this tournament, have been warned. If you add it all up, among the 48 nations taking part, there are quite a few who have either been insulted, bullied, penalised (by tariff bingo) or threatened in some way by the US in the past 18 months. Why, oh why, would anyone want to travel to the States to take part in the competition in 2026? …”
“The received wisdom was that the Premier League would have three, possibly four, of its six representatives in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It might now be lucky to have one. Expectations have flipped in 48 hours. It is one of the reasons we love this sport and, in particular, this competition. Fatigue has been the lens through which people have viewed the shortcomings of the Premier League teams halfway through the round of 16. …”
“Welcome to the latest edition of The Alternative Premier League Table, where each week, The Athletic analyses the entire division through a specific lens. And with over 75 per cent of the Premier League campaign in the books, now feels like a good moment to assess fan sentiment about their team’s season. To that end, we’ve taken the team ratings data from Fanalysis, an app where fans can rate their team’s performances, including those of the players, manager and even referees, after every match. 
“… The FA Cup needed a result like Port Vale 1 Sunderland 0 and a hero in the form of Kiwi international Benjamin Waine, who scored the winning goal on an emotional afternoon. It wasn’t the only shock of the round, either, as Southampton won at Fulham. At one stage, it looked like Wrexham might spring a surprise against Chelsea, who came from behind twice and were assisted by VAR to take the game into extra time. They then scored twice in the extra half hour, the goals coming from constantly-jeered Garnacho and in-form João Pedro. The other games all followed the script – Arsenal winning at Mansfield, Manchester City beating Newcastle United, Liverpool disposing of Wolves and Leeds United beating Norwich City. West Ham United and Brighton drew 2-2 with the Hammers winning the penalty shoot-out. …”
Scissors Kick 