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How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization

Filed under: Imported

That's the unfortunate name of Franklin Foer's new book. I'm not sure I could come up with a more off-puttingly pretentious title. (Oh let's see: How Soccer Saved Civilization).

Fortunately, Foer doesn't take himself nearly as seriously as the title implies. The book's actually an entertaining romp across the globe scrutinizing the many strange permutations of soccer fandom. Foer deftly profiles British hooligans, cross-dressing Iranian soccer fans, and Nigerian footballers toiling miserably in the Ukraine. I particularly liked his examination of soccer's role as a pinata in the American culture wars.

But the best chapter is the opener. It focuses on Red Star Belgrade, the storied Yugoslavian club that became a crucible of Serbian nationalism as the country disintegrated into civil war. Foer explains how the club's most ardent supporters were transformed from fans into a merciless death squad, known as Arkan's Tigers, that killed some 2000 people during the war.

In 1996, Arkan purchased his own soccer team, Obilic. It quickly became one of the most successful clubs in the region--although not owing to the players' skills:

At games, Arkan's message to his opponents was clear enough. Obilic's corps of supporters consisted substantially of veteran paramilitaries. These Tigers would "escort" referees to the game in their jeeps. At games, they would chant things like "If you score, you'll never walk out of the stadium alive" or "Well break both your legs, you'll walk on your hands." As English newspapers pointed out, it was in the player's best interest to adhere to the demands. Fans were frequently waving guns at them.

One quibble: Foer's section on Barcelona fans annoyed the piss out of me. He claims to be writing the chapter while wearing his beloved Barca jersey and feverishly checking the score of the Barcelona-Newcastle United Champions League match. Foer, a New Republic writer, lives in Washington, D.C. What the hell's wrong with supporting D.C United? This fetishization of European clubs by snobs like Foer is galling. These folks will shell out $50 to see, say, Barcelona and Juventus play a meaningless exhibition match at the Meadowlands, but refuse to support their local clubs.

Fuck that.

The Atlantic web site has a nice Q & A with Foer.

Posted by Paul Demko at July 27, 2004 5:55 PM

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