It's also about hugely important political, social, historical, economic and philosophical issues.
"The story of Arab football — like so much in the region — is tied up in the history of colonialism and the struggle against it." |
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  | By Max Strasser and Tim Schneider |
When we worked in The Times's London office together, our Mondays would often begin the way so many do in open-plan offices across the city: with a bit of banter about the past weekend's soccer matches. |
Tim is a Brit and a Fulham fan, with a lifelong love of the sport and a fluency in tactical arcana. Max is an American who only recently fell in love with Liverpool F.C., mostly because he liked the team's history. We would discuss the unstoppable dominance of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur's 3-4-2-1 formation and how the latest recruits were faring at Arsenal. It was like a very bad podcast that no one else in the office had subscribed to. |
Luckily for our colleagues, work got in the way of our fledgling careers as soccer pundits. As Times Opinion editors, our time was taken up by the topics of the day — the war in Ukraine, the rise of the radical right, inflation, mental health — and finding powerful arguments to respond to them. But for one month every four years, we can find a way to unite our passion for big ideas, great essays and soccer. And that month is upon us. Yes, it's the World Cup. |
The tournament begins tomorrow when Qatar, the host country's team not known for its prowess on the pitch, squares off against Ecuador, a young team that tied Brazil and Argentina in the qualifiers. It will end on Dec. 18 with the crowning of a men's international soccer champion. In between there will be all the delights of soccer: drama, controversy, breakthrough performances, upsets and, yes, nil-nil draws. |
But just off the pitch there will also be hugely important political, social, historical, economic and philosophical issues. The World Cup, after all, is about much more than soccer. It's a marker, a sort of barometer, for the world at large. |
That's why we are launching Sidelines, a series that will run throughout the tournament. We will publish essays on a wide range of subjects, from the diaspora politics of African football to the strange symmetry between Germany's coach and its chancellor. We will look at how Leo Messi fits within the gender politics of his native Argentina and what cultural relativism can tell us about how yellow cards are awarded. |
The first piece in this series, published yesterday: For Abdullah Al-Arian, a historian based in Qatar, this year's World Cup is a triumph for Arab fans of the beautiful game, whose passion and fandom have been so often sidelined and diminished. It's a fascinating and provocative argument, informed by the history of colonialism, the geopolitics of today and a proud love of the world's most popular sport. We hope you enjoy it. |
And we hope that even if you're not usually a fan of soccer, you will find in the World Cup — and our coverage of it — some color, narrative and insight to enliven your winter days. For now, the game awaits. |
| READ THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF SIDELINES HERE | | |
| THE WEEK IN BIG IDEAS Editors' Picks | | | | | |
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