The horn-blowing and hoarse shouting following this early morning World Cup match between Italy and England were probably still going on as the distribution of this newspaper began, however the game ended. It is that season again which, coming every four years, still does not fail to make footballing fever run high in regard to the country whose team one supports.
In our case, the two countries with the largest following are precisely Italy and England. They are unlikely to make it to the final where the hosts Brazil are expected to edge out Spain, who are recovering the form that made them so brilliant four years ago in South Africa, though their abysmal collapse on Friday might suggest otherwise.
Other contenders are the solid Germans, if they can recover last year’s flowing technique, and Holland, with the Dutch – enboldened by Friday’s hammering of Spain – hoping to finally end their string of dazzling their way into the final only to lose there, and ignominiously so in South Africa four years ago. Some pundits say Belgium are outside favourites.
Despite the late time of some of the matches, millions will be glued to their televisions to watch the 16 finalists battle it out. Most, like us, will not have the opportunity to root for their own country. That even applies to the population giants of China and India, where football still has not caught on as a national pastime.
Yet few, if any at all, will act like us. We seem to make it a point to store the greatest foolishness of behaviour for such occasions, passionately following the rival fortunes of the two most popular teams here, those of England and Italy. The scenes and emotions let loose earlier today were probably the peak of this public exhibition of loyalty. But the fortunes of Italy and England will be followed to the death, even if that is likely to be before the final in the July heat.
This is football’s greatest event. Yet, it is not just a sporting one, certainly not for Brazil, the host country. It is not just that Brazil is a giant that cannot afford to be felled in its own home, Neymar and all. This year’s tournament has also become a massive socio-political bone of contention for millions of Brazilians.
They live the contradiction of vast economic resources coupled with massive, widespread poverty. Brazilians with a keen social conscience are rebelling against the funds splashed out to prepare for the World Cup once again, arguing that such funds could have been more effectively spent to reduce poverty, often of the absolute type, by investing more in education, social housing and job-creating activities.
Let’s keep control of our emotions and not put ourselves to shame by demonstrations of excessive likes and dislikes
To alleviate poverty, argue the rebels with a cause, is more important than to splash out millions for temporary fun. The government argues differently. By organising the event, its spokesmen say, Brazil does not only provide short-term fun but also lays the ground for long-term investment.
It might take years, but funds invested in preparing for the 2014 World Cup will eventually yield a positive return, as is initially happening in South Africa where huge expenditure was also made in preparation for 2010.
This is a debate that frequently goes on, even in regard to richer countries. So much so that an argument is made to chose a permanent venue for the World Cup and hold it there. The debate will certainly never reach Malta. And yet, there should be a fallout from it.
We should be intensifying the question: why are we so weak at practically all types of sport? We are tiny, yes, but other small countries do far better than us. Luxembourg and Cyprus are examples.
Other small countries supply bigger ones with a tiny but constant stream of first-class footballers. We have a small stream of well-above-Maltese-average footballers but not to the same extent. And countries who joined the game well behind us, like Tunisia, have outpaced us by a mile.
Something is wrong. It has to do with resources. Much is spent on sports, but clearly not enough. Above all, bigger seed investment needs to be made in preparing our young from a very tender age. This cannot be done right across the sport spectrum. If a few are chosen and deeply concentrated upon, results should improve.
The objective can be twinned with a primary basic one. We are now all shamefully aware that, on average, we are one the most obese people in the world. Obesity is not restricted to adults. Too many of our young are obese from an early age.
If commitment to sporting activities is increased and tied to rewards of choice for training in sporting activities, that unwelcome condition could be reduced, with savings to be made later on by reducing the outlays that go to treat obese people because of the secondary effects of their physical situation.
Let those of us who love football enjoy the World Cup and all the satisfaction and possibly surprises it will bring with it. But let’s keep control of our emotions and not put ourselves to shame by demonstrations of excessive likes and dislikes.
Let’s also see what lessons we gain to enable our children to have a better future in sporting events, and particularly in their health.