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Ben Gilsdorf '21

The Future of Football Needs You

Football — or soccer, for Americans — is the beautiful game, but it is also the people’s game. From the streets of Rio’s favelas to the pristine pitch of Wembley, billions of people worldwide are united by their love for kicking a ball around outdoors. Perhaps that’s why football

Brentford Hope Third Time’s the Charm for Premier League Promotion

In late August of 2020, Bayern Munich’s French forward Kingsley Coman headed home to secure the German giants the UEFA Champions League trophy in a close 1-0 victory over Paris St. Germain. Not only did that lone goal secure the Bavarian club the title of European champions, but it

Short-Lived Super League Shows Power of Fans, But Challenges Still Remain

In his meditation on the beautiful game, Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano wrote that “the history of football [i.e. soccer] is a sad voyage from beauty to duty.” Last week’s announcement of the creation of the European Super League [https://amherststudent.com/article/footballing-shock-doctrine-the-covid-crisis-and-the-european-super-league] looked to be another step

Footballing Shock Doctrine: The Covid Crisis and the European Super League

In her 2007 book “Shock Doctrine,” Canadian author Naomi Klein writes about how wealthy nations and corporations exploit the aftermath of natural, political or economic disasters to implement radical, right-wing proposals that generate profit for a select elite. Klein cites events like the overhaul of the Chilean economy in 1973

As Qatar 2022 Draws Nearer, Criticisms Grow Louder

It’s almost impressive how an organization as brazenly and institutionally corrupt as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) continues to outdo itself. Since the 1990s, it has been an open secret that the governing body of the world’s most popular sport is beholden to powerful, monied interests.

The Rise of Brexit Ball

In late 2019, the United Kingdom finally actualized the results of the 2016 “Brexit” referendum and left the European Union. The victorious “Leave” campaign [http://www.voteleavetakecontrol.org/why_vote_leave.html]ran on nationalist rhetoric, citing the need to bring back British identity and restore the nation’s sovereignty,

Euro 2021 Will Show a New-Look Europe – But Will It Help Mend Racial Divides?

Euro 2021 Will Show a New-Look Europe – But Will It Help Mend Racial Divides?

One of the first major international footballing casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic was the postponement of the European Championships from 2020 to 2021. While many details of the Euros have yet to be hammered out, including finding a host, the competition is still highly anticipated across the world. Not only