FootballEnglish Language II

Task Stage 1

Student: Daniel Frazón

Why is football so

popular?

It gathers the attention of thousands of

supporters.

Everyone seems to be able to take an active role

in it and enjoy its beauty.

Cultural value

Football is an asset for any country.

It is a source of national pride.

It allows many countries to make a name for themselves.

Our country seemed to come to a standstill when our national team played in the last World Cup a few months ago

in Brazil.

Cultural value

Deserted streets: no one wants to miss the national team’s matches

A democratic government was overthrown.

It is one of the most horrific bloodbaths in our history.

When thinking about traumatic periods such as this one…

...how can we citizens put our

feelings into words?

The 1976 Argentinian Dictatorship

Within this totalitarian regime, the

1978 World Cup took place.

Two sides of the same coin

“Mundial de fútbol 1978. La película oficial”

merely descriptive;

gives a detailed account of the matches;

underscores top players;

provides technical nuances of the game;

football seen as a source of national

pride and reputation: e.g. African teams

managed to stand out and make a name

for themselves;

footballers seen as iconic idols, saviors

of the country’s reputation

football used as political propaganda to

conceal the mass killings from the general

public;

football mania vs. the prisoners’ relatives,

who were still desperately looking for the

beloved ones;

footballers oblivious to mass killings;

footballers who now feel ashamed for

having unwittingly helped (in some way or

another) to make the regime legitimate;

most prisoners did not want Argentina to

win, because they felt everyone was actually

losing and surrendering to the military

power.

“El mundial 78 – La historia paralela”

Reflections from the articles:

Did Argentina cheat?

Many footballers and even the coach César

Luis Menotti feel ashamed because, back then,

they were oblivious to all the manipulation

taking place.

Other players try to draw comfort from their

talent and outstanding sport achievement: 'With

what I know now, I can't say I'm proud of my

victory. But I didn't realise; most of us didn't.

We just played football.' (Leopoldo Luque).

So why are sport events

so important and useful

for dictators?

They keep the young people busy and

contented.

They keep the younger and naturally

insurgent elements of the community from

thinking too much about internal political

conditions and lack of employment.

Sport is used as political propaganda: the

national honor is at stake, and a victory calls

for a day of rejoicing, for country-wide

celebrations.

Sport in the lands of the dictator has for its

end "the making of men capable of defense

of the Fatherland." Sport becomes just one

branch of army training.

Links to the articles used:

• «The Dictators Discover Sport» http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/69645/john-r-tunis/the-dictators-discover-sport

• «Un Mundial y 30.000 desaparecidos» http://www.diariopopular.com.ar/notas/160795-un-mundial-y-30000-desaparecidos

• «We fixed it! Peru senator claims 1978 World Cup game against Argentina was rigged» http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2098970/Argentina-cheated-World-Cup-1978-says-Peru-senator.html