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Football: divider or uniter?

Can football be used to bring people together? Or is the cloak behind which crimes hide? NATO Review looks at how football has been used in both these ways around the world and looks at the differing attitudes to the game.

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NATO Review

football, politics and conflicts

does football leave man divided…

or man united?

“Football is the beautiful game” :

Valdir Pereira, Brazilian footballer

not everyone agrees

“Professional football is something like war” :

Rinus Michels, FIFA coach of the century

football has been at the heart of many political and security situations over the years

1978 Argentina

Argentina’s military junta was directly involved

in organising the country’s first World Cup win

there were accusations of match fixing, drug abuse, bribes and bizarre referee decisions

meanwhile prisoners in Buenos Aires’ main torture centre could hear the crowd’s cheers

the win was seen as helping the junta survive another 5 years

by then an estimated 30,000 people had been killed

2009 Egypt vs Algeria

trouble flares at the first of two World Cup qualifiers

between rivals Egypt and Algeria

Egypt fans attack the Algeria team bus with stones injuring three players

Egyptian fans were then attacked after the second game

Egypt withdrew its Ambassador to Algeria

each country saw tit for tat attacks on their rival’s companies and buildings

the Arab League asked Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi to mediate in the dispute

2008 Cuba vs United States

football unites too,

the World Cup brought the US football team

to Cuba for the first time since 1947

in the game, there was a power cut, an American win, but a lot of goodwill

two weeks later, the US offered direct aid to Cuba

for the first time in 47 years following major hurricanes

2010 North Korea

football creates bridges

North Korea qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time in 44 years

but despite open training sessions, the country’s secretive regime used unusual tactics

these included delays in broadcasting matches in North Korea

and reportedly using Chinese actors as supporters in South Africa

2007 Russia vs England

football also provides a means of paying respect

just before a crucial game in Russia these England fans

laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier

it commemorates the 27 million Russians killed in World War II

football is a leveller

wheather you are a Western leader…

or an African community, you can be watching the same match, feeling the same emotions

love it or hate it,

football is played by young…

the not so young

and with over 3 billion followers,

football remains the world’s most popular sport

NATO Review

football, politics and conflicts

does football leave man divided…

or man united?

“Football is the beautiful game” :

Valdir Pereira, Brazilian footballer

not everyone agrees

“Professional football is something like war” :

Rinus Michels, FIFA coach of the century

football has been at the heart of many political and security situations over the years

1978 Argentina

Argentina’s military junta was directly involved

in organising the country’s first World Cup win

there were accusations of match fixing, drug abuse, bribes and bizarre referee decisions

meanwhile prisoners in Buenos Aires’ main torture centre could hear the crowd’s cheers

the win was seen as helping the junta survive another 5 years

by then an estimated 30,000 people had been killed

2009 Egypt vs Algeria

trouble flares at the first of two World Cup qualifiers

between rivals Egypt and Algeria

Egypt fans attack the Algeria team bus with stones injuring three players

Egyptian fans were then attacked after the second game

Egypt withdrew its Ambassador to Algeria

each country saw tit for tat attacks on their rival’s companies and buildings

the Arab League asked Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi to mediate in the dispute

2008 Cuba vs United States

football unites too,

the World Cup brought the US football team

to Cuba for the first time since 1947

in the game, there was a power cut, an American win, but a lot of goodwill

two weeks later, the US offered direct aid to Cuba

for the first time in 47 years following major hurricanes

2010 North Korea

football creates bridges

North Korea qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time in 44 years

but despite open training sessions, the country’s secretive regime used unusual tactics

these included delays in broadcasting matches in North Korea

and reportedly using Chinese actors as supporters in South Africa

2007 Russia vs England

football also provides a means of paying respect

just before a crucial game in Russia these England fans

laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier

it commemorates the 27 million Russians killed in World War II

football is a leveller

wheather you are a Western leader…

or an African community, you can be watching the same match, feeling the same emotions

love it or hate it,

football is played by young…

the not so young

and with over 3 billion followers,

football remains the world’s most popular sport

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