Only a Game, or What?

Soccer often fans the flames of nationalism, with frightening results. Consider what happened during a contest in Lima, Peru, in 1964.

Some 50,000 fans packed the stadium. Late in the game, Argentina was leading one to zero when Peru knocked in a goal. However, the referee noted a foul, which disqualified the tying goal. The angered, disappointed fans rioted; 328 people were killed and over 1,000 were injured. “A heavy iron door to the locker room probably saved the lives of the referee and players,” noted the New York Times.

How important is winning and losing in soccer? When considering what also happened between Honduras and El Salvador, it makes one wonder. In June 1969 the two countries played a series of games to determine which team would qualify for the 1970 World Cup. Tensions and hostilities fanned by the games were a factor in the outbreak of war. The Americana Annual for 1970, under the heading “The ‘Soccer War,’” notes that more than 2,000 soldiers and civilians were killed.

Rivalries between countries can be unbelievably intense, resulting in strong feelings of nationalism. “For many,” noted the New York Times, “soccer is a symbolic form of war.” To illustrate, the newspaper described the results of the game that gave Peru a berth in the 1970 World Cup finals, saying:

“As the game ended, most of Lima’s population poured into the streets. A raggedly dressed boy rushed out of a doorway near the San Francisco Church, threw his arms around a huge black dog, and screamed: ‘What happiness! What a beautiful day for Peru! We’ve won, Pepito! We’ve won!’

“Lima was in the grip of columns of wildly decorated automobiles and chanting and dancing crowds all night. Several thousand people marched to the home of President Velasco, who climbed out on the roof and waved a large flag. The President, his voice hoarse with emotion, joined in the chanting. In one impromptu speech, he told the crowd that bad management under previous administrations had resulted in unsuccessful soccer teams.”