“Oh, for f—- sake, not another international break,” was the sentiment echoed by many football fans as the domestic season paused once more to allow for the conclusion of World Cup qualifying campaigns across the globe. More and more often, these windows seem to be greeted with nothing more than mild exasperation by fans, who wish only to watch global superstars turn out for their favorite multi-million dollar franchise week after week, pocketing wages that would make your eyes water and placing themselves upon a pedestal in a separate social stratosphere to the common man. Footballing romance is becoming engulfed by the tsunami of riches flowing into the club game, and international football seems to represent the last of the purist’s ideal – one tribe against another, with no option to fix a problem by throwing a wad of cash at it.
This past international period served as a poignant reminder of what football really is – a game of the people that has the power to unite a country in a way nothing else can.
Over the past week, the population of the Republic of Ireland has been walking with extra pep in its step following a pair of remarkable results for their heroes, first defeating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal by 2 goals to nil in Dublin, with the aforementioned earning himself a red card by aiming a petulant elbow into the midriff of Irish defender Dara O’Shea. Striker Troy Parrott, who plies his trade for AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, notched a first half double without reply, as a spirited and organized outfit conspired to give Irish football one of its most famous nights.
The Boys in Green bounced on to Budapest knowing a win over a very capable Hungary side would see them into the playoff round, giving them a chance of booking their place at the World Cup for the first time since 2002. A topsy turvy affair saw the teams locked at 2-2 entering the dying moments, a result which would see the Irish eliminated from World Cup contention yet again, however Parrott emerged to latch a toe onto a desperate heave into the Hungarian box to complete a sensational hat-trick, sending the commentary gantry, the 3,000 travelling fans and the entire population into delirium, thereby cementing his place among the pantheon of Irish greats.
Just across the Irish Sea, the people of Scotland are experiencing a similar euphoria having secured qualification for their first World Cup since 1998 with an equally dramatic 4-2 victory over Denmark thanks to heroics from Scott McTominay, Kieran Tierney and company.
These two teams have evoked a sense of national pride and unity in their respective homelands that truly cannot be replicated by any other sport or competition. Since these fateful moments, the two countries have been on a high that they have absolutely no intention of coming down from. Football fever has taken over, and despite the fact that, in Ireland’s case, there are still more obstacles to overcome before we can start booking our flights to North America, smiles are just a little wider, laughs last just a little longer and life feels just a little lighter for all those of Irish and Scottish persuasion at the moment.
That feeling is what football is all about. It’s what made us all fall in love with the game, yet these phenomena grow ever rarer as money just keeps coming, with the aim of artificially manufacturing this natural joy for the purpose of pushing revenue (think of FIFA and UEFA led money grabs like the infamous European Super League and the new Club World Cup). We must cling tightly to these beautiful, organic moments and resist the rise of corporate greed disguised as sporting innovation that risks dulling the authenticity of footballing joy around the world.
