A win for diversity

The largest sporting spectacle in the world came to a close in Moscow on Sunday as France were worthy winners over the dogged Croatians in a pulsating 4-2 World Cup final. The French, despite being a European powerhouse, were seen by some to represent the hopes and dreams of the global South because its team mainly comprised first- and second-generation African immigrants. Its heroes Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba both grew up in impoverished immigrant ghettoes on the outskirts of Paris where football is one of the few means to a better life. As with its 1998 champions, this French football team represents a new generation of European superstars whose roots are in Africa. Such stories were to be found everywhere in the World Cup. The Swiss team that reached the quarter finals had three Muslims who fled the violence against ethnic Albanians and Kosovars – adding extra poignancy to their win against Serbia. The English and Belgian teams were packed with children of immigrants. In a sense, the World Cup was a refutation of the growing right-wing movement in Europe by showing how fluid identity now is.

The efficiency with which the World Cup was staged, despite apprehensions before the tournament began, is a credit to hosts Russia – who themselves had an inspiring run to the quarter finals despite being an unfancied team. As with every World Cup, new stars were born. Mohammed Salah of Egypt, N’Golo Kante of France and the entire dogged Iranian team won hearts and minds. There was disappointment too as global icons Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo made early exits. And there is a nagging fear that crass commercialisation may be robbing the beautiful game of some of its charm. Now as we look forward to the first ever winter World Cup in Qatar in 2022, there are alarms over the state of human rights in the country, as there were in Russia. Football at its best is a force of liberation, as it was for the best Brazilian and Argentinian teams of the 1970s and 1980s which took a stand against the dictatorships in their countries. It is that spirit which needs to be rediscovered to add depth to the most popular sport in the world.