As the outrage over Koman Coulibaly’s atrocious refereeing continues to mount, it’s now very clear that the World Cup is in full swing. In addition to some great futbol, the World cup also serves as an important means to promote athletic nationalism and patriotism. An earlier Document Friday, for example, highlighted how holding the 1978 Cup in Jorge Videla’s Argentina lent justification to his regime — and the estimated 22,000 deaths it was responsible for. Don’t forget that Maradona’s “Hand of God” against England was just four years after the two countries fought the Falklands War. In this Cup’s qualifier, Iranian players dared to wear green armbands to protest their country’s rulers. Heck, during the qualifying round of the 1970 World Cup there was even a Futbol War between El Salvador and Honduras (which I’ll blog about next week.)
The World Cup is also a great venue for people from all countries to dress idiotically, practice their instruments (if vuvuzelas qualify as instruments), and mingle. During what other event, after all, would Kim Jong-il allow thirty of his subjects to leave his country? Of course, the North Korean fans in the stands aren’t actually Korean. They’re reportedly Chinese actors dressed in North Korean garb. And the Dear Leader keeps tabs on his coach by means of an invisible telephone which Kim Jong-il is said to have invented himself. (Don’t believe me? Read the ESPN coach profile page!!)
But I digress. The Wold Cup is also a great venue for foreign leaders to talk trash and make wagers with each other.
Here are a few of ’em:
