No matter how intently we listen to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s repetitive hymns extolling the “purity of the game” and its pristine detachment from politics, reality strikes back with a naked truth: football is no longer just a sport. It has morphed into a fierce breed of modern politics, serving simultaneously as an instrument of both soft and hard power. As the World Cup approaches, this reality takes on a more radical dimension. This time, the tournament unfolds within the domain of Donald Trump—a man who views the world strictly through a transactional prism, treating every political or ideological stance as a mere line item in a commercial contract, ripe for buying or selling.

When it comes to deep, self-defining concepts of nationhood, the press seldom hesitates to speak with a unified, resounding voice—a phenomenon that reflects genuine cultural resonance rather than mere media propaganda. This is precisely why the British press treats the England national team as a living expression of a unified England. As a collective, these athletes often appear far more representative of the public than British politicians, whom The Guardian once memorably likened to “rats fighting in a sack.”

Admittedly, football offers no ready-made solutions to deep-seated political crises or social malaise. Yet, the pitch remains the most vivid mirror of a nation. Politicians and pundits scrutinize players and their performances not for sheer technical prowess, but to decode the inner mechanics of society........

© Middle East Monitor