Football which was created by the elites for the working class is now one of the most shining emblem of global sporting power that modern purchasing power can buy. The working class still identify with it despite ticket prices that seem to be an insanity of lifetime allegiance.

With that insanity there is all the tribalism that is fit to consume. The mere fact that I am a well bred part of that addiction despite being aware of the origins of the fanatic impulse, means that it serves as a barometer. That barometer is the difference between being an individual and group focused.

The beautiful game even at the most individual level is a kick about with powerful images and associations — we don’t kick a ball about because it is an exercise for our leg muscles, we kick it in the way we have seen it kicked.

Kicking the habit of being a soccer supporter is well beyond my personal discipline — too much has been invested in the story and in moments — that walking away from the game is throwing vaults of small-talk out of the window — especially small talk that can complete strangers.

This culture of football is so embedded in my psyche that the potential disgust how much the modern game is played for money is beyond any possibility of a clean break. Even when Manchester United fans walked away from their team, they found their solace in creating FC United of Manchester. I don’t know any soccer fan who has walked away clean.

When I was in Belgium outside Heysel Station, who where the Belgians kidding by renaming the stadium King Baudouin Stadium — maybe the stadium has been completely rebuilt but the station name rekindles memories of Italian soccer fans crushed in a European Final. Memories of that create an eerie feel — yet not eerie enough for me to walk away.

There is a tremendous amount of fun becoming a soccer pundit, as if we could take hold of the managerial reigns and all our thoughts about football would produce a championship team greater than any seen in history — but that we can get so heated and manic about 22 players kicking a ball about, means that tribalism is the best fantasy social order ever created.

The World Cup is not simply a tribal event, it is an inner child event, an excuse really not to be the aging adults we will all become, but remain forever young in spirit — soccer does not age us, it simply drains our attention from the things we feel we must accomplish to be a functioning adult. This stress of accomplishment is transferred to professional sport.

Stress is the mess of the modern age and football can get our minds off that knotted life, that is what seemingly renews us — though much more in victory and much less in defeat. Whole urban populations can become motivated and productive after their team has been successful, which only goes to show how much the industrial age fix is a part of our social psyche.

By the time Qatar is accepted as a football venue, the sense of disgust of what money can buy won’t deter our collective fandom. Maybe the US will get a World Cup but that isn’t our politics to decide, it is only our musing to get idyllically upset by — football as metaphor, football as ancedote, football as example, football as theatre — and all other forms of social occupation that keeps us occupied.

The fateful moment in my life happened many years ago in a school yard, and the teams we inherited were inherited in time and place, in moments of success back then rather than success now. The same thing will play for the kids of today — they will support teams now that in future years may become a pale shadow of their greatness.

That very much sums up an England supporter since 1966. At least they won a World Cup, so don’t feel sorry for them — delusional as they may be that just one more World Cup will suffice. Look at the lessons of Brazil, one more World Cup never suffices. Look at the lessons of Real Madrid, nine European Titles never suffices — and even with the Decima — the inner pang is always temporary — relief is always an unexpected moment.

Failure is no barrier to the unexpected moment — averting failure can be as joyful as achieving momentary success, it is all about of cute combination of social drug of tribe and fantasies gone wild. I am football supporter, there is no help, at least Ripping Yarns got it ever so right.

[Em]