There’s No Reward for a Beautiful Game
Yesterday, FIFA president Sepp Blatter criticized England’s style of play thus far in the World Cup. “I am happy that play is very offensive. The only exception is England, who fielded just one striker in their second-round match,” Blatter said Thursday. “That’s not the kind of offensive football you would expect from a title contender.”
While I find myself in an awkward position, actually agreeing with Blatter about something – England’s play has been less than pretty – I find it odd that the head of the world’s football governing body chose to single out England for their defensive play.
Italy and Ukraine have also played defensive football in some of their matches, and like England this has helped to carry them to the final eight. At the same time, Spain and Ivory Coast, which both played beautiful attacking football, are at home now wishing they were in the same position as the teams that won ugly.
We all would love to see the final eight teams play the beautiful game, but is this a realistic expectation? The teams are here to win and they will use whatever tactics they think will work best for them to achieve this goal. That sometimes includes playing defensive football that can be boring and ugly to watch. That sometimes includes resorting to dives and other tactics that can be frustrating to see.
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who’s team has also been criticized for not displaying Joga Bonito in some of its games this tournament nails it when he talks about playing the beautiful game.
“If we can, we do. We are not against it, we appreciate it. But much more than playing beautifully we want to be world champions,” he said.
While Mr. Blatter, Nike and those who profit off the World Cup would love nothing more than to be able to sell a product that is beautiful, the reality of football is that it is often times not. There’s nothing wrong with that. The Portugal and Netherlands card-fest in the Round of 16 was not a Picasso, but if you are like me you were still glued to the television, watching ugly, yet compelling World Cup football.
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Comments
By John from Canada | June 30th, 2006 at 1:40 pm 
I’m no fan of defensive football, but Sepp Blatter is an idiot.
Um, isn’t he the head of FIFA? If he’s got a problem with lack of offense and the the quality of the officiating, why doesn’t he do something about it instead of blathering on to the media? How pathetic.
Posted from 
United States
By rew | June 30th, 2006 at 2:19 pm Blatter is an idiot.. isn’t the whole idea to WIN.. and if your winning why would you change things… didn’t know there where style points.. maybe FIFA should get some jugdes from figure skating or synchronized swimming to ref the game.. they couldn’t do any worse than the refs so far….
Posted from 
Canada
By rew | June 30th, 2006 at 2:26 pm I think when it was called “beautiful” ,Pele meant that the game is so simple.. a ball, a flat area and some players.. beautiful.. it can be played anywhere all over the world…
Posted from Canada
By Mario F | June 30th, 2006 at 2:29 pm well…he dont need to bother more…England will fall tomorrow…;)
Posted from 
Sweden
By Roo | June 30th, 2006 at 2:58 pm What a complete fool, does he not look any further than 3 numbers!!
England have joe cole, rooney, and lampard who only ever attack…gerrard who has been much more focussed on attacking since the line-up changed.
The fact that rooney was are only official “striker” means crap all…(when on form he counts as two strikers anyway 
).
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By Matt | June 30th, 2006 at 3:42 pm sour grapes from Mario F methinks!
Posted from United Kingdom
By rew | June 30th, 2006 at 3:56 pm Matt ,.. think your right.. sour..
Posted from Canada
By Eric Phillips | June 30th, 2006 at 4:13 pm Winning is beautiful too.
Posted from United States
By On The Pitch | June 30th, 2006 at 4:15 pm What Is Blatter Blathering On About?
I’m just a lowly youth league president. My biggest problem are hooligan parents (joke – mostly). But even I know that you don’t talk about the performance of teams in a tournament, at least until it’s over. But maybe that’s jus…
Posted from United States
By owen | June 30th, 2006 at 8:41 pm He didn’t even look at any numbers.
I think we can all agree that Brazil personifies attacking ‘beautiful football’.
And the portuguese at least would claim they play that way.
So – shots taken so far in four games:
Brazil: 61
England: 58
Portugal: 55
Shots on target so far:
Brazil: 36
England: 25
Potugal: 29
Goals:
Brazil: 10
England: 6
Portugal: 6
So – clearly Brazil has been playing mroe attacking football than England. But why is Blatter not going after Portugal just like England?
In fact only Brazil, Argentina and Germany have played clearly more attacking and offensive football than England. And lots of countries have played more defensively than England. I won’t name names because I think Blatter is an idiot and good defense is as beautiful as good offense.
Posted from United States
By Ronaldo Hater | July 2nd, 2006 at 1:48 am This guy is a fool and shouldn’t be commenting on teams during the world cup, especially if he doesn’t know JACK!
Posted from United Kingdom
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