I will never forget North Korea’s 1966 (UK-held) World Cup run to the Quarterfinals – and I was not even alive – so strong was their showing! North Korea – applying their Juche and Sorghum (Marxist) ideology became the first (and to date – only Asian side) to power their way into the last eight – and attract a large army of admiring and respecting UK fans and followers in the process! This was embarrassing for the British bourgeoisie – which completely lost control (if it ever had it) of the British working-class – and were unable to bully and coerce the ordinary British person in the street! Most ordinary British people found it perfectly acceptable to support both the English National Squad (which went on to win the World Cup that year with a memorable victory over the US colony of West Germany in the Final) and the footballing side of the ‘Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’ (DPRK)! Indeed, from what I gather, this would have been the preferred ‘Final’ of nearly everyone in the average British street! But alas, like so many dream-endings in football – it was not to be!
And so, to the 2022 Qatar World Cup (branded nowadays as ‘FIFA’ like a can of pop)! It was my two young daughters who came back from school announcing that the ‘World Cup’ had started – totally without my knowledge or consent! Why on earth would a major footballing competition be held in the dead of a British Winter (with temperatures plummeting to minus five degrees Celsius with snow in some places) – so close to the Xmas break (which annually sees the Western world shut-down for around two-weeks annually)! As I was taken with my ‘Internationalist’ academic work – these FIFA shenanigans had occurred completely under my radar of perception – particularly as I only keep a nodding acquaintance with domestic (British) football. I oppose its blatant capitalist and exploitative nature – whilst admiring and loving the game itself. I believe football was invented in the UK (from a far-older Celtic game) and firmly belongs to the working-class! Furthermore, outside of its current incarnation, I believe football is the ideal vehicle for the expression of Socialist ‘Internationalism’!
Having checked the details (and ‘host’ location) – I was astonished by it all! The next step was to ascertain exactly ‘where’ the Islamic nation of Qatar (a non-footballing nation) was and ‘why’ the World Cup was being held there? Of course, these enquiries turned-out to ‘unanswerable’ (something akin to a Zen koan) – but I did find out that a US government under President Obama (which had financed, armed and assisted into power the Neo-Nazi ‘Euro-Maidan’ Junta in the Ukraine during early 2014) – had initiated a legal offensive against FIFA (from around 2014 onwards) involving illegal (mass) arrests and the equal issuing of unlawful subpoenas against FIFA Officials in non-US controlled geographical zones! Why all this angst-driven response from a third-rate ‘Soccer’ nation that brutality exploits its own people – and whose military has killed between 20-30 million people worldwide since 1945 (to present)? It turns-out that the Obama Administration was of the opinion that FIFA (a multibillion-dollar making ‘charity’ – if you can believe that) exists dangerously ‘outside’ of US hegemonic control and might well be a harbinger of social equality and sport-led ‘Socialism’! As the US cannot (literally) blanket-bomb a regime change into FIFA – the US has taken the path of adopting a similar ‘legal’ route of ridiculous (and ‘oppressive’) actions which will cost millions and probably end with no tangible result. This is why the average reader will find numerous (and quite ‘laughable’) ‘Cold War’ style anti-FIFA missives sprinkled liberally throughout the US controlled internet! Enjoy!
England gave away the first half against France last night (and effectively conceded this quarterfinal game) – whilst dominating and ‘exposing’ France throughout the second half! The psychological effect of the French first goal finished the match – such was the devastating and forceful ease (elan) with which it was scored! Everything after this point of the game was a footnote. I know this because I have witnessed this England self-destruct mechanism in action over many, many decades and am now an old hand at assessing this form of spherical self-flagellation! The tragedy is that for much of the game England were by far the better side – but having just watched Morrocco make history by becoming the first ‘African’ nation to make it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup (although not many ‘Black’ Africans are celebrating the progression of a population of Arab invaders occupying an ‘African’ country) – it was odd to see Morrocco fans supporting France! The former ‘colonised’ supporting their ‘colonisers’! If England had scored the numerous chances the players earned (and not ‘missed’ a crucial penalty) – England would now be playing Morrocco in the semi-finals! But then again, the same weaknesses in the English game would still exist and I would probably be sat at this laptop knocking-out a similar article of failure and despair in just a few days’ time – as a jubilant Morrocco march on to the final – probably with Argentina!
English Language Article:
England out of World Cup after defeat to France in quarter-final!
Harry Kane missed a decisive penalty in the closing stages, having earlier scored from the sport, as England crashed out of the World Cup with a 2-1 defeat to reigning champions France in heartbreaking fashion.
Olivier Giroud’s header 12 minutes from time ultimately kept France on course to retain their World Cup title but England were left to rue a tale of two penalties for their skipper.
Aurelien Tchouameni put France ahead with a long-range strike after 17 minutes but Kane equalised with a 54th-minute penalty following a foul by the French midfielder on Bukayo Saka.
Giroud headed home an Antoine Griezmann cross to put Les Bleus back on top but the Three Lions were given hope with an 84th-minute penalty as Mason Mount was shoved to the ground in the box. However, Kane skied the spot-kick over the bar and it means France will play Morocco for a place in the final on Wednesday, after the African side beat Portugal 1-0 in Saturday’s earlier quarter-final.
Like so many times before but, really, in a totally different way. England ultimately go out of an international tournament after a missed penalty from a star, but this wasn’t a shoot-out, and it wasn’t a case of Gareth Southgate’s side getting outclassed in midfield. It wasn’t even a player of Kylian Mbappe’s class scorching them.
Instead, England were arguably the superior side in this 2-1 defeat to the French, who still remain world champions. Southgate’s had chances that were as good. They had some of the better play.
They just didn’t have much luck, or – if you want to be harsh on the referee, which many will – some of the core decisions.
And that meant that the biggest chance of all – the opportunity to eliminate the highest class of side in a key game – wasn’t taken either.
The reassurance will be that England made them look far inferior to that in a fine performance. The reality that matters most is that they again went out at the quarter-final stage.
THE SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 