Has 'sportmanship' gone out of football. That's impression I got watching this latest world cup.?

Question

I have never seen such disgusting behaviour from so called sports stars, head butting, punching, stomping, diving, blatant cheating and obious bias from referees.
The whole competition was a farce from beginning to end.
I don't think the fans are hooligans anymore, it's the over paid morons kicking the ball from one end of the pitch to the other. Rooney fine was a piss take, his girlfriend spends more on a handbag. Morons like him should be banned for a season.
There again, Zidane head butts a rival player, following day gets voted player of the tournament. Says it all.

Answer 1

Agree, there's not much more I can add to what you have said. Fifa is a joke, a european biased farce. I started to watch the game here in Roma with a big big group at Circo Massimo but left at half time disgusted by how dirty the play was. Brazil was just about the only team that relied on skill and finesse rather than brute strength to win their games.

Answer 2

Soccer, Football... whatever you want to call it, is a huge business, and the fatcats at FIFA are all about turning a profit from their business. Most people don't have a problem with businesses making money, but when it comes to sport we want to uphold some higher code of 'sportsmanship'.

Like everyone, I would love to see fair refereeing, no diving, beautiful, honest football... but the cold hard reality is that sportsmanship is only given lip service for our sakes... to make us believe FIFA cares about the game. IMO the individuals at the upper echelon of FIFA care little for the game, and mostly for themselves. And their own positions are best served by big TV audiences and stars being stars.

Some of my favourite players (C.Ronaldo and T.Henry) were amongst those guilty of this lack of sportsmanship and I was really dirty at them. Then I started to think about it more... Rule # 1: you play to the whistle.

I came to the conclusion that, while you shouldn't dive, the players themselves are not the ones who are ruining the game... it is the association which ultimately should bear the responsibility. They could outlaw diving tomorrow - but they choose not to. They could have the fourth official using video reviews to assist the ref - but they choose not to. The players are being coached to use the rules of the game as they stand, and right or wrong, we all know we'd do exactly the same thing.

Sadly, 'sportsmanship' has no place in the professional game. You can create laws to replicate the actions which come with the sense of fair play... but you can't mandate a particular mindset or feeling.

And the real tragedy is that five year olds across the planet will be out mimicing their heroes next weekend... diving, and headbutting and all of that.

Answer 3

No but a new form of the game has started like cricket, sledging is a big part of the game (slating the batsmen surrounded by opposition) the Aussies are famous for it, It is now part of the game,People like Platini(amazing french player) tried to make football non contact!which has created cheating
the old school era (shearer) would have been sent off every game this world cup.You could make a hard tackle,so that side has gone which has created ***** ball (modern day football) yes it allows ronaldinho and such players to do tricks.But because every contact decision is given it makes them ask for every decision and cry if they don't get it!

Answer 4

hmmmm..... probably the USA, because, apart from england, they have the most players in their squad that i've heard of (howard, beasley, edu and altidore- i know.... get me lol), i would've supported france (not quite as much as a scotsman in a kilt but frenchman are pretty fit) but they couldnt keep their hands to themselves (i was actually rooting for the rep of ireland after scotland were out grr it's been a bad campaign) so it's USA or italy like last year or brazil like the time before that but really..... A.B.E and i'll be happy lol =D bonus q- levein has impressed me more than i thought he would, he knows the right team, has given players a fresh start (we need boyd etc in the side and are too thin and bare without him), he got the win against the czech rep and has been much more promising than burley. with the addition of promising youngsters (thomson-hearts, wilson- rangers, cairney- hull, etc) coming through the ranks, showing quality and improving older players in the push for places, we can only improve on what has been a dismal few years for the side and hopefully qualify for euro and beyond.... ahh now i'm dreamin =)

Answer 5

There have been a couple of violent incidence, as you would expect when the stakes are so high and the pressure so great, but this has not been an especially violent world cup. Football is a contact sport, it's about commanding your space and using your physical strength, it has never been a game for gentlemen, if you don't like it tune into the tennis and fix yourself a nice cool drink of barley water.

Answer 6

It is because the footballers are so highly paid from such a young age, they have started to behave like spoilt children on and off the pitch.

It's quite depressing.

Answer 7

I agree whole heartedly. I thought all the games were a mixture of wrestling and rugby (Well, everyone seemed to be going for field goals over the bar!)

Portugal and France seemed to be especially bad.

Rooney having shjouted off about the unfairness of his red card is now silent. He has obviously seen the video and realised he was filmed dead to rights.

And we all thought football was a sport!

Answer 8

How about you mention the other 26 football players that got a red card or can you only spell two names

Answer 9

It's all about money now, never mind the fans, how much are they going to get paid thats all they care about

Answer 10

Amen to that!