Everyone is afraid of a war, a guerrilla and a civil war. It is with these words of panic that the mayor of the eighth arrondissement of Paris, Jeanne d’Hauteserre, expressed her concern this week on the eve of the semi-final match which will decide this Wednesday who, France or Morocco, will advance to the World Cup final.
In the French capital, concern is at its height after the riot scenes that occurred last week in Brussels on the occasion of Morocco’s victory over Spain and the clashes that took place on the Champs-Élysées last Wednesday. Incidents certainly less important than in Brussels, but which all the same led to a hundred arrests.
These tensions come as no surprise to geopolitical scientist Pascal Boniface, director of the Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS). Author of several books on sport and politics, including a history of the World Cup, he has published these days a comic strip on world geopolitics since 1945 (GeostrategixDunod).
The one who used to say that geopolitics is his job and “football” his passion believes that sport has always been an indicator of political tensions on a global scale, as in each country elsewhere.
From Uruguay to Qatar
“The World Cups have always been political. Today, it is more visible because of the media. But that has always been the case. The very first, in 1930, was held in Uruguay. This small country wanted to exist against its big neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. Exactly like Qatar, which today seeks to assert itself against the giants of Iran and Saudi Arabia. When in 1990, Iraq annexed Kuwait, Qatar was not very reassured. Its leaders figured that if the Saudis did the same, it was not certain that the Americans would launch an international offensive to free them. They figured it would be more awkward to invade a country hosting the World Cup. »
Isn’t what is true on the scale of the world also on the scale of France? Are the overflows that occurred this week the symptom of a broken integration? “We know that integration problems exist. It’s no secret, says Pascal Boniface.Did the young people want to manifest it or are they just people who took the opportunity to make a mess? You would have to check. […] However, it is not the least of the paradoxes to note that, if Morocco loses, a majority of Moroccans will take for France. And vice versa, by the way. »
The Arab World Cup
Whatever happens on Wednesday, this World Cup will have been partly that of the Arab world, believes Pascal Boniface. “This is the first time that an Arab — and even African — team has made it to the semi-finals. We see the importance of this in the fervor aroused by the Moroccan team throughout the Arab world. »
Relations between Algeria and Morocco may not be in good shape, and the official Algerian media only mentioned this victory lip service, the Algerians celebrated it with joy, making Morocco a kind of the champion of the Arab world. It is the victory of “all the Arab peoples” and “all the Muslim peoples of the world”, even declared the Franco-Moroccan Sofiane Boufal, former Southampton player.
“Let’s not forget that the Saudis also beat Argentina,” said Boniface. For the first time, moreover, all the continents were represented in the round of 16, which is not usual. »
Significant fact: Palestinian flags were waved in the stadiums, and even by Moroccan players. Morocco has yet signed the Abraham Accords normalizing its relations with Israel, recalls the political scientist. “But this peace is a peace from above, which has not infused the populations, who still see in it a sacred cause symptomatic in their eyes of the ‘double weights, two measures’ of the West, since Russia is being sanctioned, but not Israel. Qatar is also one of the last countries, along with Algeria and Tunisia, to continue to support the Palestinian cause.
In this World Cup, Iranian players also stood out by refusing to sing their national anthem. They had, however, been received by President Raisi before their departure. “Nevertheless, says Boniface, this affront has been seen all over the world and it represents a challenge for the Iranian regime. »
This is the first time that an Arab — and even African — team has made it to the semi-finals
Finally, will we have been right to go to Qatar despite the calls for a boycott launched by both environmentalists and those who denounced the terrible working conditions of immigrants in this country?
“Once the Cup has been awarded to Qatar, it is obvious that we had to go. We had to ask ourselves the question in 2010. We do not boycott a World Cup. The situation of immigrant workers was known. Among the people who called for the boycott, you probably had people who didn’t like football, others who were perhaps reluctant to go to an Arab country, others who didn’t like the regime. By the way, Qatar established a minimum wage and abolished the system of kafala, which prohibited a foreign worker from changing jobs without the permission of his boss. Progress recognized by the International Labor Organization. »
The new territories of football
The corruption scandal that has just erupted in the European Parliament, where Qatar is suspected of having bribed parliamentarians, including a vice-president, could nevertheless quickly tarnish the prestige of the tournament.
“This will certainly have very negative consequences on the image of Qatar, recognizes Pascal Boniface. But it’s too late to have an impact on the World Cup. »
The political scientist sees in this great event the symbol of a sport which, not content with being the most practiced and the most followed in the world, continues to conquer new territories. “The World Cup is more and more international, but there are still territories whose “football” could complete the conquest; I am thinking in particular of China. Then it will be the turn of women’s football, which is in full development. »
Among these territories where soccer still has gains to make, there is obviously Canada, since the next World Cup will be continental and will be held in Mexico, the United States and Canada. “It will be an opportunity to promote football in Canada. Your team still participated in this World Cup, which had not happened since 1986.