We should savour every lesson of the beautiful game

There is something magical about the World Cup that captures the planet’s attention for a month in a way no other sporting or social event can match.

Of course for the more fanatical, it is as much about nostalgia and reminiscing as about the current crop of global stars.

My first World Cup was in 1966 when I and my age mates became fanatics, pundits and budding superstars overnight.

The fact that the television was black and white but mostly grey and fuzzy was not an impediment. England took the Jules Rimet trophy and Geoff Hurst’s hat trick over a gallant German team made him a hero for several generations.

We didn’t notice then that England was represented by 11 Caucasians while a similar number of black or mixed race footballers are part of the three lion’s panel for Russia.

Times change and hopefully attitudes. However, even then the star of the tournament for me was Eusebio, the Portuguese striker born in Mozambique.

Race and colour didn’t matter when class and genius entered the arena. That is one of the most inspirational aspects of sport. Two years later, Kipchoge Keino had a similar impact on me as he majestically graced the Mexico Olympics and blew away all competitors and the whole world with his talent and style.

Best team

Two more years later, Mexico then hosted the World Cup and Brazil brought the beautiful game to a whole new level. With the likes of Pele, Rivelino, Jarizinho, Tostao and Carlos Alberto, they were arguably the best team to have ever won the competition.

Suddenly geography was made simple and the world came to our living rooms as we witnessed stars emerging from hitherto unknown countries like Peru, Morocco and of course Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

Football became a great equaliser and broke down barriers as commentators tried desperately to pronounce unfamiliar and exotic sounding names.

Sport was defining and redrawing boundaries as well as challenging prejudices. With the advent of global TV nearly everyone got the opportunity to be entertained by the talents of Drogba, Maradona and Ronaldo.

Of course it was not all glorious or inclusive. Politics, greed, corruption and hype have also marked the planet’s premier sporting event.

FIFA global bosses could teach NYS magnates a few new tricks about avoiding prosecution. The principal sponsors of the event have not changed in decades. As a result, fans will only be drinking Budweiser beer or Coca-Cola inside the stadium with McDonalds deciding on the menu even in Russia.

One could be forgiven for thinking the World Cup brings the global brands road show to town rather than giving fans an opportunity to experience local cuisine, culture and hospitality.  

Politics of course is also mixed with the sporting event. Neither USA nor North Korea is participating in Russia so that might prove a relief for the organisers.

In 2010, I was fortunate to attend the North Korea versus Portugal group match. The lasting memory is of the Korean fans. A whole section of the Cape Town Stadium was set aside for them.

Five minutes before kickoff ten thousand supporters clad in red tracksuits marched into the stadium in a military like manner. Five minutes after the drubbing by Ronaldo and company, they marched out and onto their waiting planes and back to Pyongyang.

Yet attending global events is mostly about the fans. Even those unfortunate enough not to gain access to the stadia still manage to enjoy the experience of the fan zones in the hosting cities.

Meeting Iranian fans in Nuremberg in 2006, Italian ones in 1990 in Sardinia and the whole world in South Africa are lasting memories for me.

Sport allows us to discover our common humanity, our love for competition, our admiration for talent and the joy of patriotism exhibited in a non-violent environment.

Football has shown us that our differences should not divide us while global sporting events have greater potential for world peace than summits or even handshakes.

Sport can disarm us and unite us in its own unique way. Success raises the profile and morale of any country and so it is vital that the continent’s five representatives bring honour, hope, enjoyment and great results to Africa.

Burdened by the debt crisis, the mega corruption and the despair all around, the World Cup can revive our spirits.

Savour the event and realise what is possible in sport can be repeated in every aspect of life if we are want to learn.

- [email protected] @GabrielDolan1