Football, a sport inseparable from politics
In Spain, football developed at the beginning of the 20th century in a country already affected by strong regional tensions. Quickly, certain clubs went beyond their simple sporting function to become political symbols. The best known case is that of FC Barcelonawhose motto “More than a club” perfectly sums up this dimension. Indeed, under the Franco dictatorship between 1939 and 1975, the Catalan language and regional symbols were repressed. The Barça stadium then becomes one of the rare spaces where Catalan identity can still be expressed in this context of repression.
Conversely, the Real Madrid has long been associated with central power. The Franco regime supports the club, not out of sporting passion, but because it makes it a internationally prestigious tool.
In Latin America, football also plays a central political role. The most striking example is that of the 1978 World Cup in Argentinaorganized under the military dictatorship of General Videla. The regime used this event to mask repression, forced disappearances and human rights violations. Football is a real propaganda tool.
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