Stop lying to ourselves over football
Football has arrived at an uncomfortable realisation: what was once a beautiful game is now a pocket- liner and plaything for those who seem to care little about it.
A court ruling has found Uefa and Fifa acted unlawfully in blocking the creation of the European Super League, reviving what was protested against by fans and players as a shameless cash- grab.
Clubs issued apologies, were fined, and reassured their supporters it was only an idea.
You would think winning the most prestigious club competition in the world 14 times would give you a sense of decorum, yet Real Madrid saw a cheque and little else when throwing their weight behind the rebel league.
Los Blancos are famous for their Get Rich or Die Tryin’ attitude to football yet reading that the most decorated club in European Cup football continue to endeavour for a competition that has no benefit to any other, save the chosen elite, still leaves genuine admirers of the sport asking an unanswerable question.
When do we stop pretending the objective of football is to score goals?
When do we recognise that it has long been the primary function of a football club to create revenue, rather than put a ball into a net?
Madrid president Florentino Perez said “Football and its fans have triumphed”, following the ruling — yet it was outrage by fans that led to all but two of the original 12 clubs withdrawing from the proposed Super League.
We have heard of sportswashing, but Perez’s comment is more akin to a lie — football and its fans will not win if this venture goes ahead. You cannot in earnest argue that self- elected superpowers, some of whom are yet to lift a Champions League trophy, playing amongst themselves with guaranteed entry each year is in the best interest of fans or football.
If the Super League does eventuate, at least we will have one truth. We will finally be honest with ourselves and acknowledge that dollars, euros and pounds are the reason this sport is bigger than any other.