A boy plays with a ball during training at a soccer school at Newell's All Boys club, where Lionel Messi played as a kid in Rosario, Argentina, in a file photo. [AP]
As the world watches the World Cup we realize that even here we cannot pretend that there is justice in humankind’s affairs. The passions that the ball inspires feed all kinds of conspiracy theories at all levels of soccer, from neighborhood games to the World Cup.
It is human to criticize others for our failings, to not accept easily that the other side was better. But it is equally human to try to win by all means. We may be moved by ideals of fair play, but how many would not like the gods to lend a helping hand when the going gets tough? And so, the world until now has been divided between those who are sure the game is rigged in favor of the mighty, and those who think that – beyond one or two unfortunate incidents – the results are somehow in line with the strengths and fortune of the teams. The organizers of major events always went to great lengths to persuade us that they were above human frailty, and that they would never tolerate any politician daring to tie his name to the holy grail that is the purity of the sport.
