Most avid Football fans would agree that the top strikers and goal-scorers in Europe play for Barcelona or Real-Madrid, the top-two teams in La-Liga, the Spanish Football League.
Even Harry Kane, arguably the top Center-Forward from the U.K., plays for Real Madrid.
For Football fans, the hub of league activity, excitement, skill, and entertainment is in Europe, with a popularity-ranking being the Spanish League, British Premier League, German, and French.
While South America arguably produces the world`s best players, their life-aspiration is to play in Europe. That`s where the money is.
When a foreign-born player signs a 5-year contract with Real Madrid (Spain), P.S.G. (France), or Manchester City (British Premier League), ravid Football-fans throughout the world are treated to witnessing history. Never again will there be another Lionel Messi or Christiana Ronaldo. By turning to your cable sports-channel, you can access their magic as a weekly part of your life.
This way, one associates players with their teams, not country-of-origin.
Even the most prestigious European League, preserves the current structure of the existing teams and players in a knock-out competition for the best annual team in Europe.
Again, we see the players shining for their clubs- where the team and it`s supportive staff become bonded into a brotherhood.
That provides the background to a match in the F.I.F.A. 2018 World Cup stunning elimination of Spain by a somewhat anonymous Russian Team, failing to even make it out of the group-stage to the final 16 teams.
What the audience witnessed was Spain showing it`s usual mid-field magic, then dancing around the goal-posts.
But the bottom-line was Spain`s failure to “pull-the trigger” – putting the ball in the back of the net.
What went wrong?
The answer is found by looking at the Top Strikers in La-Liga: None of the elite Spanish team`s forwards qualified for playing for the country where they play, but for their country of origin.
- Lionel Messi – who played for Argentina, his country of birth
- Cristiano Ronaldo – who played for Portugal, his country of birth
- Luis Suarez – who played for Uruguay, his country of birth
One could extend the list, and it doesn`t only apply to Spain. But their unceremonious exit was dramatic.
Tags: Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo, European League, F.I.F.A. 2018 World Cup, goal-scorers, Harry Kane, La-Liga, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Real-Madrid, Spanish Football League, The Politics of Sport