As a transnational organizing body with tremendous influence on governments and development initiatives, FIFA has been called a “neoliberal Trojan Horse.”
This graphic, from the TPP Media March, calls attention to the connections between the world spectacle of the World Cup and the transnational free-trade agreements being pushed all over the world, at great cost to millions of people who are poor and struggling in the affected countries. Find out more at TPP Media March
High drama at the World Cup quarterfinals continue as Argentina prevail over Belgium, losing Angel di Maria in the process, and Costa Rica takes the Netherlands all the way to penalties. Alan and Meleiza review today’s action, say goodbye to the last “underdog” team left standing, and look forward to the semifinals. Then, KPFK’s Margaret Prescod has an extended conversation about soccer and the World Cup with Coach Mickey.
As Argentina heads into the semifinal, we give props to the great former Argentinian team captain, Javier Zanetti. Always a friend of the people, Zanetti famously demonstrated his support for the Zapatistas in Mexico, and organized his teammates at Inter Milan to send money and goods to autonomous communities in Chiapas.
In response, EZLN leader Subcomandante Marcos wrote Zanetti in 2005 and invited Inter to a friendly match, which unfortunately was never realized. Especially in the wake of his country’s economic crisis in 2001, Zanetti has been a powerful critic of neoliberal globalization, and has set up social initiatives in poor countries to help the people who are suffering from its effects.
Today’s Podcast: Another super-hyper-mega dramatic day at the 2014 World Cup. Germany dominates, Brazil & Colombia play one for the ages, and Neymar exits. We review it all, and look forward to tomorrow’s matches. Plus, Meleiza’s brilliant interview with Amazonian scholar Professor Susanna Hecht on the deep history and political ecology of Latin American futbol, as well as the state of indigenous peoples in the Amazon.
On today’s podcast we look forward to tomorrow when Germany and France will settle things once-and-for-all on the battlefield; and Colombia tries to conquer Brazil. We talk with Soccer blogger Elaine Teng from the New Republic, author of the article “Stop Treating Women like they don’t anything about soccer;” and also actor and writer Brendan Hunt, who is back from attending USMNT games in Brazil. We also check in with Margaret Prescod and Coach Mickey.
It’s a day off from Brazil’s World Cup 2014, and what better way to relax our frayed nerves than with some great Brazilian music and dialogue about the World Cup from KPFK’s Global Village host and Brazilian DJ Sergio Mielniczenko. But first, Margaret Prescod from KPFK’s Sojourner Truth talks soccer with Mickey Cohen, the Goal Keeper Coach at Monroe College in New Rochelle, New York. He has played and coached soccer at the high school, college, and professional levels for forty years.
This installment of The People’s Game features author Gabriel Kuhn on soccer and radical politics; columnist Gustavo Arellano on the Mexican National Team; filmmaker Pablo Miralles on the U.S. Team; Professor and soccer blogger Laurent Dubois on the Belgian team and the popularity of the World Cup in the USA; performance artist Karen Anzoategui on Lionel Messi and Argentina; Amazon scholar Professor Susanna Hecht on the roots of soccer culture among Brazil’s indigenous population; and Los Angeles organizer Manuel Criollo, who chaired a panel on radical politics and soccer.
The Round of 16 concludes: Argentina prevails over Switzerland, and a heroic but futile effort by Tim Howard and Team USA to defeat the Belgians leaves only one CONCACAF team left standing. Alan and Meleiza recap the day’s events. Pablo Miralles hails the superhuman feats of Tim Howard and the guts of Team USA, while Gustavo Arellano laments the heartbreaking exit of El Tri. Finally, Karen Anzoategui shares her thoughts on Argentina’s win and its prospects for the quarterfinal.
Ann Coulter fears soccer – as she should. Soccer has deep roots in American radical communities. Long rejected for being un-American by Coulter and other denizens of the right, futbol has been embraced by those of us who seek social justice, for its working-class roots and internationalism.
One highlight in the history of radical American futbol was the legendary showdown between anarchism and communism, in 2003 in the Bay Area: Kronstadt FC vs Left Wing.
Let’s make Ann Coulter’s nightmares come true!
