The 2010 German World Cup team was a force to be reckoned with – a physically strong, methodical, and dangerous team whose leading goal scorer, Polish-born Miroslav Klose, fell just one goal short of tying the all-time record of individual World Cup goals. The team’s prowess was enhanced by the footwork and speed of one of its youngest and most inspiring players, Mesut Özil, a German-born son of Turkish guestworkers. And in the group play stage of the tournament, German defender Jerome Boateng often found himself marking his half-brother, Kevin-Prince, who was playing for their father’s home country of Ghana.
These three players are no exception – 11 of the 23 players on the German World Cup squad were either born outside Germany or come from a family with a “migration background.” Seeing as how Germany took until 2005 to officially declare itself a “country of immigration,” many are surprised to see the enthusiasm with which the country has embraced this newly diverse team. Children in Berlin parks can be seen wearing as many Özil and Podolski jerseys as those of the (ethnically German) captain, Philipp Lahm. Some commentators are heralding this development as a symbol of Germany’s growing acceptance and recognition of its diversity.
The team was certainly easy to support. Though it ultimately came in 3rd place, it was undoubtedly one of the strongest teams in the tournament. The youth of its players also ensures that the team’s best years are ahead of it. In short, these Germans, whether of Polish, Brazilian, Ghanaian, Nigerian, or Turkish background, are winners. And Germans fans, like sports fans the world over, like to support winners.
But what happens if an ethnically diverse team doesn’t win? One only has to look one country over to find the answer. Since the 1990s, the French national team has reflected the multiracial nature of its modern country. The team gained the slogan “black, blanc, beur,” signifying its black, white, and Arab composition – by the late 90s, 17 of the 23 players were racial minorities. Though far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen claimed for years that the team didn’t “look sufficiently French” or “had too many black players,” few Frenchman agreed with him. With few exceptions, the French viewed the team – white, brown, or black – only as Les Bleues, and supported them wholeheartedly. It didn’t hurt that in 1998 they accomplished the most glorious achievement their sport has to offer: winning the World Cup on home soil. The indisputable cornerstone of the 1998 French team was the captain, Zinedine Zidane, who was born in France to Algerian parents. His inspirational ball skills, playmaking ability, and stoic leadership made him one of the all-time soccer greats, earning him the affectionate nickname Zizou. In addition to the World Cup, he led his team to victory in the 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, prompting banners and t-shirts across France to boastfully claim, “La victoire est en nous!”
From this height, the team started to descend. A thigh injury prevented Zidane from playing in the first two games of the 2002 South Korea / Japan World Cup, and the team went home after the group stage without scoring a single goal. The spectacular failure of 2002 was rivaled only by one of the most dramatic episodes in soccer history, when Zidane received a red card for head-butting Italian player Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final game in Germany. Les Bleues lost to the Italian Azzurri in a penalty shoot-out, but not before Zidane created one of the most enduring images of that World Cup: passing the golden trophy as he descended the stairs on his solitary walk out of the stadium.
Since the retirement of Zidane, the French team has had no clear leader. Instead, it has gone through a series of scandals and oddities that have hardly inspired loyalty or confidence. Three players, including star Franck Ribery, are currently under investigation for liaisons with an underage prostitute. The oddly superstitious coach, Raymond Domenech, has since 2004 refused to allow any players born under the Scorpio astrological sign to play for his team. France barely qualified for the South Africa World Cup, and then only after French player Thierry Henry illegally used his hand on a crucial scoring play against Ireland. And lastly, French striker Nicolas Anelka was sent home during the World Cup itself after refusing to apologize for publicly criticizing the coach. The day after Anelka’s expulsion, the entire French team refused to train in solidarity with him.
Perhaps not surprisingly, France didn’t make it out of the group stage in South Africa. The ensuing uproar among the French public has reached a fever pitch, with some comments and insults hinting at or blatantly using racist language. The team is accused of being a bunch of “hooligans” who come from minority-heavy banlieues and do not represent French values. Though such comments are offensive and threaten to tear at some of the fragile fabric of French society, they do not reflect inherent racism or rejection of French minorities in sport. Rather, they are a venting of frustration with this team and with these players, whose insubordination and lack of discipline cost them their one-time glory. The French, like the Germans, are ready to love their players, no matter their color or background. A new coach, a new team morale, and a bit of luck in the form of young talent is all Les Bleues need to endear themselves again to the French public. That, of course, and some big wins.
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