Countries Participating in the World Cup have no problem with Nationalism
It’s official, the defending World Cup champions, France, will defend their title on Sunday against Argentina. For the past two weeks, national soccer teams across the world have met in Qatar, a small country jutting off the Arabian peninsula and competed to be the best in the world.
The 32 teams invited to participate in the World Cup are identified only by the country they represent. Outside of the World Cup, many of the players do compete in leagues throughout the world without emphasizing any national identity, but none of the league championships hold as much esteem as does the World Cup. There is something quite different about the World Cup. It is a stage for excellent soccer, and unapologetically, honors the sovereignty of nations and its players by identifying them as citizens of this or that country.
Even during the early games of the tournament, the stadiums were filled with fans either dressed in their national colors or using the country’s flag as a type of cape draped across their shoulders. Fox Sports, the network who is broadcasting the World Cup to the American market would repeatedly turn their cameras to the fans assembled in the stadium during the games and there was no doubt who those individuals were cheering on, their nationalism was evident because it comprised most of their wardrobe. The network also showed thousands of fans in their native countries clogging streets hoping their national team would win and move forward. Thousands met in their respective countries hoping their national team would advance, and if they lost, a communal sadness was evident.
Before the woke mob hijacked the public consciousness, American citizens were also proud of their country and exhibited nationalism on the world stage. Years of bashing American nationalism has taken its toll on its citizens. From Michelle Obama who proclaimed for most of her adult life she was not proud of the United States to the Women’s soccer team who in protest kneeled during the national anthem before their Olympic matches, has successfully made American nationalism the number one public enemy. Unlike the Olympics which has gone full woke, FIFA the governing arm of the World Cup have managed to stave off the threat.
The usual gripes ad nauseam are repeated: racism, discrimination and of course, equity. The argument and mantra of these arrogant celebrities preach is the United States is flawed beyond repair and anyone who is proud of the country, or claims to be a nationalist, must be a horrid racist and/or a bigot. Yet those woke individuals are still eating off their silver spoons and have no intent on changing to plastic cutlery very soon. Their protests have nothing behind them except harmful words because they will not fall on their sword for what they believe to be true. They will never give up their wealth and status for the country. More importantly, those who constantly berate America are never willing to call out China who regularly disregard racism, discrimination and equity as western folly.
True, every country has their own unique set of problems and room for change. However, to be proud of the country you live in is not an inherent evil, as the elitists and globalists contend. Moreover, it is a healthy self-love of who you are and where God has placed you in the world. The World Cup tournament has plenty to teach Americans about nationalism. The culture and language of a people grouped together as a sovereign country is part of the true diversity of the world. Humanity of different races and cultures making up the world’s inhabitants is the textbook definition of diversity and equality, and the players and fans of the World Cup have proven it.