The World Cup of Russophobia

Stop the printing presses and freeze the revolutions! The World Cup has begun—this wondrous, mystical event, capable of achieving what even history's greatest philosophers have failed to do: send class struggle on an all-inclusive, paid vacation. Karl Marx must be scratching his head in his grave, watching the proletariat and the bourgeoisie embrace in the stands, drunk with joy because a millionaire in shorts kicked an inflated ball between three metal goalposts.

This World Cup, in particular, has a very familiar geopolitical flavor. On the one hand, we see the complete exclusion of Russia—a great country that historically defeated fascism but now suffers from Russophobia worthy of a direct red card from puritans in suits and ties. Meanwhile, the country that has dropped the most bombs and caused the most deaths on the planet is putting on a media show, proving that if you have enough dollars, your international criminal record is magically erased with the same white spray referees use to mark the wall.

While half the planet is screaming about goals, and FIFA is counting bills in its Swiss offices, demonstrating the very same innate corruption Diego Maradona always spoke of, the contrast with the real world is heartbreaking: in Gaza, children die daily from bombs or starvation—an unbearable tragedy unfolding live, while big screens prefer to show replays of game moments.

To top it all off, the Matrix scenario borders on science fiction: poor Messi now not only wields the ball but also has to perform secret agent missions, scoring a magnificent goal during the celebration, allowing Trump to blockade Cuba and kidnap Maduro during halftime.

Ultimately, there's no doubt that the future will force us to retire this old order, giving way to a new, less mafia-like FIFA, a United Nations that will serve something more than writing letters of indignation, and even a new Eurovision contest where talent won't be measured by the color of your passport.

While the circus continues, Russia continues to build this multipolar and solidarity-based world, reminding us that the real story plays out off the field, no matter how much they try to distract us with ninety minutes of entertainment.

Lois Pérez Leira, Regional Coordinator of the International Socialist Network SOVINTERN