I am reading a new book, Superclass, that talks about the nature of the most powerful people on earth (there are about 6,000 of these individual super-powers), and how they affect history. Although I have just started the book, it is already obvious that power is most often aided by money or political position.
Unless you are a superb sportsperson.
Poland (my home country) and Germany played their first match of UEFA2008 on Monday. Poland lost 0 — 2, which is in line with tradition since they haven’t ever, apparently, beaten Germany (except in the world wars, and with a lot of help!).
What made this match interesting for me, though, was that the two goals for the German side were actually scored by a Pole. He has been living in Germany since the age of two, but he has a Polish surname (Podolski), and speaks the language.
So in theory, had his family not decided to emigrate, and if he was playing for Poland, the score of the match could have gone the other way. (Of course, I will concede that it is highly possible that the training he received while playing for Germany was superior to the training he would have received if he had stayed in Poland, and therefore he might not have been such a good player without his German background.)
And so, on Monday night, despite supporting their team in the most patriotic way, the Polish nation walked away feeling disappointed and dejected. My heart went out to them. Bad enough to see your country lose to an arch soccer enemy, but to have that defeat delivered by someone who should have been playing on your team must make the defeat extra hard to bear.
But, what if Podolski had not left the country, and was nevertheless as good as a player as he is today? What if then the score of Monday’s game was still 2 — 0, but it was Poland who was victorious?
Sport can affect history. Sport success can certainly affect the mood of the country, can make it stronger, more unified and more focused. We’ve seen it here in South Africa with the last two Rugby World Cup wins, which took the euphoria levels to heights we hadn’t seen yet.
Poland, I think, can do with a bit of euphoria. It’s had a tough past, and it’s fighting tough economic challenges on the European continent. It could, I think, benefit greatly from a boost of unified spirit to forge onwards as a strong nation. And I think that, had Podolski kicked those goals in for Poland, he could have played a large role in making that euphoria a reality. And that would be quite an honour.
And it would have probably made him one of the most powerful people in the country.
I wonder if instead of kicking a ball, he is now kicking himself?
During the Second World War the Poles were the bravest of the fighters.
They were betrayed by the West, and by the East.
Such a brave people did not deserve it.
What has the first paragraph got to do with the rest of your piece?
Eve
Is this important at all?
Maybe if he had lived in Poland or elsewhere, he would have become x or y or z. Maybe maybe maybe……This could be said of anyone. Why is it relevant in relation to a football player? Who cares….other people have arguably more to offer to their country than 2 goals.
Why did his family leave anyway? Let me guess….the same reason yours did….that red flag? Can’t blame them and neither can the fans.
This raises the prime issue here – are fans every anything but dissappointed after a defeat by anyone? No matter who played for whom…..?
This is so
He would be kicking himself more if Germany had lost!
Seriously though, this happens fairly frequently in international sport. Zinedine Zidane, one of the world’s greatest footballers in recent years, played for France – his family were Algerian immigrants.
One of my favourite moments in sport was watching Zimbabwe beat England in cricket, with Graeme Hick playing for England. Having grown up and learned his cricket in Zimbabwe, he moved to England after school to pursue the professional game offered there. You can’t argue with his reasons, especially as Zimbabwe wasn’t even a test nation at the time, but it was a moment to savour when he was bowled out by another home-grown talent, and his new team went on to be defeated.
All the Polish immigrants I have met in South Africa, the UK and the US are wonderful people, proud of their nation. Their reasons for leaving are never out of bitterness, but for the understandable reasons of greater opportunity and personal growth.
Eve
Today in the German press there is an article that the Polish Government (under pressure from Miroslaw Orzechowski) is considering withdrawing Podolski’s Polish citizenship. It turns out that he need not have stayed in Poland to have played for Poland – he enjoys dual citizenship and as such could have played for either country but CHOSE to play for Germany.
Thus the issue is moot as to what would have happened if he stayed in Poland. He made a career choice and is surely kicking the ball today in preparation for his next game tomorrow against Croatia.
Thanks for all your comments.
I do agree with all of you: it certainly is his right to choose where he wants to play, and I have no angst against that.
And, having watched more of the soccer games now, I realise this happens all the time, to all the countries: yesterday’s Switzerland’s single goal against Turkey was scored by a Turk, who didn’t even rejoice.
It’s a tangled web.
@JP Strauss : I was trying to weave the thread of “power” and how it can differ from our common definition of it. But I do see your point.
And I will, at some point, write about the “superclass” because it is a fascinating topic that has huge relevance for all of us.
I guess i do not not get the interelation between the first paragraph and the rest of the writing. Maybe or sometimes
I have no axes to grind against or even for the German team players against a rewarded victory knocking a valiant Turkey out of the European Cup. After all I’m a kiwi who has played and more so coached rugby teams in England, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand at the higher levels. I love all sport, and when I see performance matched with attitude — a player who scores the highest in my estimation, gets an accolade. Podolski hits the top in all accounts. Why do people get into the rut of who or where someone was born? Seems an unfortunate mind set to me!!