The World and I

Last World Cup was the perfect example of how football can override many of the inherent prejudices and difficult politics within a country. Côte D'Ivoire a nation so divided between north and south came out in full force, together, at the last World Cup to back their team, regardless from where they were from. There were times where former coloniser and colony played against each other, as was the case with Angola and Portugal, with no animosity. Football, especially the big competitions, have also been used as a platform to advocate anti-racism campaigns. It just requires a look at teams such as France or Holland to see that many of the players are (or whose forefathers were) immigrants, spanning from all over the world, but playing under the Flag of one united team. Football can be a national achievement, however at the same time it can easily become a national tragedy and even scandal (for example when England failed to qualify for this year's Euro competition).

So as we all wait in anticipation to back our team however good or bad, one thing is for clear, over the next couple of weeks you will see many Europeans flying the flag high and proud as they stand behind their country.

*For all those American English speakers football = soccer