A wonderful read and a great history of the World Cup, not just the football side of it but the socio-political and economic side.
Each chapter details the build up to each World Cup and how it came to bed and the politics and personalities. Yes the football is the star of the show but the supporting cast are no less enjoyable (sometimes for the wrong reasons).
Politics and using the World Cup as a vehicle to put on a front has never been changed only the Mussolinis, Juntas of yesterday are today’s sportswashing with the recent Qatar and upcoming Saudi World Cups. With all the money spent on World Cups they are essentially white elephants after the Greatest Show On Earth leaves the staidums remain and all the problems of the people and millions (now billions) of debt remains. Especially as the World Cup has gone to countries like South Africa and Brazil where people are dispalced for the stadia and nobody really cares what happens afterwards.
Reading the book the interesting thing for me is two World Cups 1970 and 2002. 1970 was when football and the World Cup went colour and commercial and 2002 is when footballers were truly global.
2002 also happened to be my first World Cup where I paid attention to football and I can remember becoming a teenage expert in the metatarsal bone, loving the Fevernova ball, Anh Jung-Hwan’s goal against Italy, Ronaldinhos free kick and Rivaldo’s play acting. Until 2022 being a Welshman we only saw the World Cup here in the UK through the rose tinted glasses of England. Though as an adult I dislike international football and feel no connection to it.
I digress but the book highlights to me that football has changed as technology and globalisation grows and improves but the politicking and corruption has been ever present. The names change Rimet, Rous, Havelange, Blatter, Infantino but the self-serving rot is always there.
Valley Reviews 