Paul Harding Paris, 22/12/2023

RI-SP167 | Time in Contemporary Politics

Op-Ed Final Assignment

817 words

“A Moebius Strip: The Relation of Football and Politics Through Time”

Football and politics have always been deeply intertwined. From the ancient

Mesoamerican cultures, where the first known examples of a team game involving a rock-made

ball emerged over 3,000 years ago, to what we know today as football, this interconnection has

persisted, shaping societies and echoing through history. In ancient cultures, an Aztec game

called Tchatali epitomized this fusion. It was not just a sport; it embodied ritual, symbolism,

and societal dynamics. The ball, a piece of rock, symbolized the sun, while various versions of

the game spread across regions, carrying cultural nuances and even the ritualistic sacrifice of

the losing team’s captain, representing an offering to the gods. This short piece argues that the

intertwinement between football and politics has been so deeply entrenched by historical paths

and reinforcing cycles that it is now impossible to dissociate the two. The association between

football and politics serves as a testament to powerful concepts and theories, path dependency

and increasing returns being two of them.

As we explore instances where football and politics clashed throughout history, the

reciprocal weaving of these two realms becomes increasingly apparent: from Mussolini’s 1934

World Cup, an early example of “sportswashing,” to the recent 2022 World Cup held in Qatar,

undeniably one of the most politically charged tournaments in football history. To help make

sense of the trajectory that has been taken for all these years, one concept emerges: ‘path

dependency’ (P.D.). Drawing from the work of Rixen and Viola, this concept was born from

the idea that “history matters,” that is, “past decisions limit the available range of current

choices” or, put differently, “some social pattern causes its own reproduction over time”

(p.305).

Although the 1934 World Cup provides a good example of football and politics’

imbrication, it’s crucial to acknowledge that this relationship existed well before this specific

event. Using the 1934 World Cup as a focal point provides a juncture–albeit not a critical one–

to trace the longstanding path of this relationship, but this trajectory could arguably be traced

further back. P.D., as elucidated by Rixen and Viola, becomes an appropriate lens in this

context, encapsulating a trajectory where past events and decisions wield a significant influence

Paul Harding Paris, 22/12/2023

on current choices and events. Within our context, P.D. alludes to an entrenched pattern of

politics merging with football, perpetuated over time, creating a self-reinforcing loop of

increasing returns. Any efforts to divide this bond between football and politics consequently

become difficult because of this reinforcing cycle, established by their interactions. In addition,

external factors such as national pride, social importance given to football, and geopolitical

ambitions—only to cite a few examples—have further solidified this interdependence. Over the

years, football has acted as a symbolic representation of national identity, a tool for soft power

projection, but also as a platform for social and political messaging. A good example of this is

Saudi Arabia (SA), which strategically uses football as a tool for extending its soft power.

Through high-profile signings of star football players, SA aims to reshape its global image

tarnished by controversies such as the Yemeni war and Khashoggi’s murder. This aligns with

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s broader “Vision 2030” modernization initiative,

despite facing criticism for its authoritarian rule behind the façade of progress.

I could come up with an endless list of examples showing how interdependent politics

and football are. But I would rather extrapolate, and ask the following questions: taking into

account path dependency and increasing returns, is it even conceivable to have a future where

football and politics would be distinct? Politics-free football? Could change agents bring about

change, whether gradual or sudden? I think not, and most of the articles on this topic share the

same opinion. Football, and sports in general, don’t exist in a vacuum: social, political, and

economic contexts shape both football and our response to it. However, we still often hear that

“sport should not be politicized” as expressed by French President Macron ahead of the 2022

World Cup, or FIFA’s mantra of “no politics.” Now, of course, this plays out at different levels:

one could, rightly so, distinguish between the political role of the players and contrast it with

that of the people who make major decisions. Such nuances will not be addressed here but are

still crucial to keep in mind, as people usually tend to only consider the bigger picture and

overlook such distinctions.

I don’t think we will live to see a critical juncture, whether driven by exogenous or

endogenous factors, that would enable some dramatic change to happen and cause politics and

football to be separated. The profound significance that football currently holds worldwide

makes it inherently political; no critical juncture in the past has untied this mutually interlocking

relationship and, as P.D. keeps strengthening it, the scope of the critical juncture needed to undo

this knot is becoming impossibly large.

Paul Harding    Paris, 22/12/2023 
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