International Soccer's Influence on Diplomatic, Social, and Political Relations

To what extent has international soccer influenced the world politically and socially? This research question will be investigated using different books pertaining to the subject. The investigation will cover the impacts of soccer in the 1930s during the First World War, the 1940s during the Second World War and the 1970s during the Cold War. The effect of soccer on a country’s nationalism will be researched as well. Soccer had a great impact on people’s lives socially; it gave people hope when in a time of need. It did not matter whether there was a war going on, or if there were prisoners in camps, soccer was a popular activity to help people survive in the hardest of times.

Soccer had a great impact on the world politically as well. Many dictators used soccer to show the power of their nation and prove that their nation is better than another. There was friendly competition and competition that caused great hostility.

In conclusion, soccer has affected the world politically and socially. This sport has caused intense nationalistic views and has brought countries together. Even though soccer has brought countries together, the game has driven countries away from each other just like what happened in Germany in the 1974 World Cup when East and West Germany played against each other. Soccer has helped people and hurt people, and has had an influence on people’s lives.

Throughout history, soccer has had a noticeable impact on the world. Sports in general created a sense of nationalism in nations, soccer especially, it being a more popular sport where there is international competition across the world. “Although soccer boomed in the 1920s, in the 1930s it swept all before it as the most popular game throughout most of Europe...

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...occer game was even said to have caused a war. The game of soccer also has a large impact on both the World Wars as well as the Cold War. Dictators, such as Mussolini have supported soccer in their nation to promote their nation, which in return boosted their reputation. Soccer has been compared to a war because the importance of different games and how the outcome can define a nation.

Works Cited

Goldblatt, David. "Goldblatt, David. The Ball Is Round." New York: Penguin Group, 2008. Print.

Murray, Bill. "The World's Game: A HISTORY OF SOCCER." Urbana, Illinois: n.p., 1998. Print.

Kapuscinski, Ryszard. “Soccer War 1969.” N.p., 1969. Web. 13 Nov. 2015. http://libcom.org/library/soccer-war-1969-el-salvador-honduras-kapuscinski

Walvin, James. The Only Game: Football in Our Times. Great Britain: Pearson Educated, 2002. Print.