Bielsa Calls Foul on Modern Football's Malaise
Has the beautiful game lost its luster? Does Marcelo Bielsa believe football's over-commercialization is threatening the sport's soul? Or is he just being a canny, streetwise pragmatist?
“Football's appeal is diminishing because it doesn't prioritize the aspects that made it the world's top sport. While the business side focuses on maximizing viewership, this approach undermines the quality of the game itself, leading to fewer skilled players and less enjoyable matches. Football is more than just highlights or short bursts of action; it's a cultural expression and a source of identity for many. The focus should not be on controversies and accusations but on preserving the essence of the sport and creating a positive environment for it to thrive.”
Decline in Quality: Bielsa argues that while football's viewership is increasing, the quality of the sport itself is diminishing. Does it entertain like it used to?
Commercialization: Bielsa's main critique centers on the over-commercialization of football. He suggests that the sport has become more about business and profit than the love of the game, resulting in decisions that prioritize financial gain over the quality and enjoyment of the sport.
Loss of Core Values: Bielsa laments the loss of the core values that made football so beloved. He implies that the pursuit of spectacle and entertainment has overshadowed the fundamental skills, tactics, and spirit of the sport, making it less engaging for true fans.
Oof. Your thoughts, Alexi?
It might be fair to say Alexi isn’t a ‘proponent of the beautiful game’ as purely an aesthetic spectacle. Results matter; and he’s spot on about Uruguay’s quarter-final against Brazil - no goals, 41 fouls overall, with Uruguay committing 26 of them resulting in one shot on target and a man sent off. Maybe Bielsa’s comments were some next level psy-op?
Not everyone agrees with Alexi about the Euros, though:
Nostalgia and your country getting knocked out can do strange things to the average football fan. The fondness England fans have towards Italia ‘90 is only surpassed by the shock of finding out that everyone else hated it.
There has been unmissable drama during the Euros and exceptional skill, although even England fans had stopped watching to see Jude Bellingham’s bicycle kick in the 95th minute to force extra time against Slovakia.
But France not scoring in open play has been turgid stuff. While Belgium’s inability to hit a barn door with a banjo became its own tragi-comedy.
Also, if you’re a top player, you’re coming to major tournaments spent. As Michele Platini said before Euro 1984: “England are lions in the autumn, but lambs in the spring.”
This tournament, they’ve been a late-night kebab. Only Portugal had played more minutes.
The lack of wingers, or more precisely wingers coming inside on their wrong foot is nothing new, and little skill-spots are now almost imperceptible to the naked eye in real-time.
But, if you look at the likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, and Bernado Silva, they look completely different footballers - Pep having sucked the living flair out of them. Pep wants to unlock opponents as a compact unit in the final third because, god forbid, they should be exposed to a Sean Dyche counter-attack after his Burnley side has cut all lines of supply off for 78 minutes.
And it’s a lot easier to do park a bus as a lower ranked international team facing Mbappe, or the England frontline than it is go toe to toe with them.
Greece 2004, anyone? 1-0 to the Arsenal? Italy since time began?
It’s no mean coincidence that the sides that have captured the imagination have been Ralf Rangnick’s Austria, Spain, Germany, Georgia, and Jesse Marsch’s Canada - the latter being a disciple of the former, and both hell bent on attacking and entertaining.
Bielsa’s Uruguay have entertained when they can, resolute when required, and streetwise.
VAR doesn’t help. In fact, in a tournament where own goals are the top scorer VAR is horrendous. Bielsa is exactly right about controversies becoming too focal.
VAR doesn’t create beautiful moments, but it sure can kill them.
Saying that, a tournament is as good as the last round.
If England and France don’t stink out the semi-finals, and the final is decent, the narrative changes.
But, no matter the outcome, we need our stars to shine, not flicker, or fade away.
EURO 2024 Round-up
Where to watch: all TV broadcasters around the globe from UEFA
Bracket:
Quarter Finals:
Spain 2-1 (AET) Germany: Probably fair to say the Germans aren’t happy. 30,000 have signed a petition to have the game replayed after something of a controversial handball that didn’t result in a penalty for the Germans and then Spain winning it in the 119th minute of extra-time.
Portugal 0(3)-0(5) (AET) France: France still haven’t scored a goal in open play and questions need to be asked why Portugal persisted in playing with ten men all tournament - although, there were no Ronaldo waterworks. [Highlights]
England 1(5)-1(4) Switzerland: Football fans across the world will be dreading a Euro final match-up between England and France. Unless it goes straight to penalties. England have gone from winning two out of the previous nine shootouts before the Southgate-era, to three out of four with him at the helm. They’ve now got Ivan Toney who doesn’t even look at ball when taking one. [Highlights]
Netherland 2-1 Türkiye: This had the makings of another Turkish corner kick upset until the Netherlands found a couple of gears and goals in the last twenty minutes. [Highlights]
Semi-Finals:
Tuesday July 9th: Spain vs France
Wednesday July 10th: England vs Netherlands
COPA America Round-up
Bracket:
Venezuela (2)1-1(4) Canada: the pundits at Fox could just about keep their jealously in check in their post-match summarizing - they knew it could’ve, should’ve been USA, but their little-fancied cousins had plenty of chances to see off Venezuela in normal time prior to their 4-2 PK shootout win. [Highlights]
Panama 0-5 Colombia: 27 games unbeaten, and looking extremely solid. Colombia have looked the most comfortable side in the tournament progressing quite easily to the last four brushing past Panama 5-0. [Highlights]
Uruguay (4)0-0(2) Brazil: not for the faint-hearted, what this tetchy affair lacked in quality it made up for in the dark arts. Down to ten men after VAR sent Nandez off in the second half for a dangerous challenge on Rodrygo, Bielsa’s Uruguay saw off the slightly more progressive Brazil 4-2 on penalties. [Highlights]
In Other Soccer News
Transfers:
The Guardian’s interactive transfer thing.
Stat(s) of the Day
Most shots taken at a single Euros without scoring since 1980 Deco (2004) - 24, Cristiano Ronaldo (2024) - 23, Fernando Hierro (1996) - 23, Kevin De Bruyne (2016) - 21, Dani Olmo (2020) - 21:
The Daily Soccer Quote of the Day
“At Brighton it was all tactical, just with the ball; tactical, tactical, tactical. And at Chelsea, it was run, run, run and it was very difficult for me.” - Moises Caicedo
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