Spain deservedly won the men’s European football championship on Sunday. Spain was the best team in the European Championships. That was also stated by England’s head coach Gareth Southgate before the final match and after that.
In the tournament, Spain attacked delightfully, defended stoutly and celebrated happily. The sovereign performance got the final show it deserved.
On the field, football won, and the final result was justified.
However, the final was partially unsuccessful. From a social point of view, the wrong state won and the wrong country lost in the summer EC tournament.
Spaniards, Basques and Catalans
Spain is a country of many languages and cultures and a very divided country. When talking about national team football, the division is roughly the Spaniards, Basques and Catalans.
It has often been thought before whether the Spanish national team unites the people? The answer is yes and no.
For example, in 2010, when Spain won its first World Cup, the nation celebrated. The Catalans appreciated the achievement of the Spanish national team, and the Spaniards accepted the championship was thanks to the players of FC Barcelona.
At that time, the day before the World Cup final There were protests in Catalonia against decisions that reduced the autonomy of the self-governing region. Many Basques and Catalans hoped that Holland would win. A similar way of thinking has been presented in later years as well.
– In normal times, I wouldn’t care if Spain wins or not. Now, however, I want the team to lose so that the government cannot politicize their success, the Catalan Javi stated to Vice before the 2018 World Cup.
A year later, the demonstrations in Catalonia escalated into riots.
Although clashes have been seen in Catalonia, the self-governing region is thought to have pursued independence peacefully. Compared to Catalonia, the Basque Country has been more violent.
The Basque National Liberation Movement (ETA) started the fight Francisco Franco against the dictatorship in 1959. ETA also assassinated Franco’s prime minister Luis Carrero Blanco in 1973.
The conflict between Spain and the Basque Country, which lasted more than 52 years, ended in 2011. ETA only gave up its weapons for good in 2017.
Disagreements continue to rub off between Spain and the autonomous regions.
Muted cheers
Many of the residents of the autonomous regions support the Spanish national team and are even now happy with the success. At the same time, the regional news media show a different kind of truth.
“Lamine Yamalin Spain played a memorable EC tournament”. The 17-year-old teenage star Yamal, who charmed at the German Games, was born in Catalonia. “Can you be on the side of independence and play with Spain in the European Championships?”. I saw it on their website writes the Catalan newspaper Ara.
Euskeran or Basque speaking magazine Berria mentions The European Championship is coming up. The largest space is given to the popular rowing competition in the region.
– It (Spain) is not my team, not my king and not my national anthem, the general secretary of the Basque nationalist EH Bilhu Arnaldo Otegi said after the EC final.
During the night, Spanish flags were pasted on the windows of the headquarters of the ANC, a non-governmental organization promoting Catalan independence, says OK Dario.
“Silenced shouts of support for the Spanish soccer team in the Basque country,” wrote an American New York Times in late June.
Of course, there are also many admiring and praising articles. El Diario writes from the victory party. Antena 3 reports King of Spain of Felipe VI and the princess Infanta Sofia of the comical moment with the championship trophy. “Spain rules Europe”, rejoices El País.
Supplier Maija Salmi told about Spain’s championship atmosphere in ‘s morning on Monday. You can see a video of the embed below.
Domestic violence is a problem in England
England is the host country and mother potato of football. At the same time, its football culture is a mockery of sports fandom.
When the English national team is playing, the close relatives are afraid. A lot has been written about it during these European Championships as well.
– The later the football game starts, the fewer women are abused, writes Helsingin Sanomat supplier Ari Virtanen.
He refers to the London School of Economics for the study to be published in 2021.
British organization for preventing intimate partner violence NCDV writes on his website: “When football fever takes over the world, many people refuse to face the dark truth that is connected to the world’s most popular sport”.
in Great Britain is written about intimate partner violence, which is sadly associated with football. The phenomenon has received more attention than before in recent years.
of Lancaster University according to a study published in 2014 during the men’s World Cup, reports of intimate partner violence increase by 26% when England are playing. The figure rises to 38 percent if England lose.
The risk of violence the next day is 11 percent higher than average, regardless of whether England have won or lost. It can be assumed that there was more domestic violence than usual in England on Sunday night and Monday.
The shocking phenomenon during these European Championships has been written about, among other things British broadcasting company BBC.
However, it must be stated that football or sports are not the cause of violence, but violent people. It is also noteworthy that the connection has been studied in England.
Is there a glimmer of hope in the end result?
Just the right country could win the championship, and just the right country could lose the EC final.
I can’t and I don’t want to take a stand on the situations of the autonomous regions of Spain. I completely condemn the violence connected to sports.
Sports have an incredible power to unite. Sports strengthen the sense of unity, national identity and love. A win for Spain and a loss for England sparks discussion on the above-mentioned topics.
In Spain’s previous championship years, 2008–2012, the national team was dominated by players from Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Two Basque club players played in the team: Fernando Llorente and Javi Martinez. At that time, a Basque background also celebrated victories Xabi Alonso.
In the now ended European Championships, Spain had “the most diverse team of all time“. Even eight of the group’s 26 players were from Basque clubs. In addition, the championship was won by someone with a Basque background Aymeric Laporte.
In the final match, the opening goal was completed by a Bilbao player Nico Williams. Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal directed the 2–1 winning goal into England’s net.
For example, the editor of El Diario Marco Schwartz write On the symbolic meaning of Williams and Lamine Yamal.
– In addition to their enormous football skills, they are united by the fact that they are both children of immigrants.
– We would like Nico and Lamine to symbolize only the magic of football. That’s what would happen in a normal world. In these xenophobic and racist times, it is inevitable that these two athletes are politically significant, Schwartz states.
According to him, the power of the Spanish national team to unite the people is unparalleled, even if it is only momentary.
“The team achieved something much more important than any trophy: it united an entire nation”, writes Antena 3.
In the final match of the last European Championship, England lost to Italy in a penalty shootout. Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho failed in their commas. They were subjected to racism.
Among other things, head coach Southgate and the captain Harry Kane condemned racism. The English football association FA has demanded a change, but it has been small. The team also had to to prepare for facing racism before the start of the EC tournament.
Soccer is the world’s most popular sport, whose ugly face is often forgotten during euphoric moments. At the same time, it is a sport that creates friendships worldwide.
I believe there is hope for something better, even if it is even more difficult in divided worldviews and opinions. Less disagreements and violence. More exchange of ideas and peace.