[dabigv13]

But they have always been a thoroughly unlikeable lot, whether it's their surrounding and pushing the referee after seemingly every call against them, Emi Martinez with his nonsense on penalty kicks, their unparalleled reliance on the dark arts, or their hateful, xenophobic (and factually inaccurate) singing about the French national team. Will be rooting for Spain on Sunday.

My view is that tropes and stereotypes about "dark arts" have been around in northern Europe for many years as a way of delegitimizing the success of southern European and South American teams.

Alf Ramsay, the English coach, famously called the Argentinians animals in a WC match in 1966 that perhaps kicked off the animosity in the rivalry. 

As a white American, I'm wary to wade too far into matters of race in Latin countries generally or Argentina specifically. The song was very dumb and racist, and Enzo apologized. That being said, I don't think it was some uniquely Argentinian xenophobia, as I have heard similar sentiments about the France team from educated and ostensibly liberal Americans.

I doubt the Argentinian team is more hateful or xenophobic than your average soccer team, or that Argentina is more racist than Mexico, or the US, or Spain. They are all racist, in their own unique ways.

Scaloni, in a press conference after the England game, called his players "indios", in reference to their toughness, to their coming from rough circumstances. The word choice apparently drew a disapproving eye from his wife in the crowd, to which he clarified he meant "indio in the good sense of the word". I don't think there was any malice to the comment, but yeah it's not something that would really fly here in the US. Of course a team with Lautaro, Lisandro, Nahuel Molina, Paredes certainly does have a lot of native american heritage, and I don't think they were at all offended to be called "indios", rather the opposite, though in modern America ascribing even positive qualities to people based on their heritage would be, uh, problematic.

What is so beautiful about soccer is that it can be played in so many different ways, and that for many countries the style of play has some derivation from their society and culture broadly. For me, I much prefer the southern style emphasizing possession and passing over more direct play. It's very cool that the final is being played between two teams that emphasize technical skill and passing play, though tiki-taka done at a high level does put me to sleep and the Argentinian gambeta is more to my liking.

We all have our preferences and prejudices. Dibu, and the way he plays, understandably pisses a lot of people off, though I thoroughly enjoy his shit housing and mind games. I think it's totally fair that this Argentina team is not for everybody. I don't like Dani Olmo because I think he has a stupid looking face. Fandom is not rational nor should it be.

Also, wanted to say I really enjoyed jacketree's story, and what is so impressive is how many I have read without seeing any repeated tales. The Cardboard's own Forrest Gump.

[dabigv13]

But they have always been a thoroughly unlikeable lot, whether it's their surrounding and pushing the referee after seemingly every call against them, Emi Martinez with his nonsense on penalty kicks, their unparalleled reliance on the dark arts, or their hateful, xenophobic (and factually inaccurate) singing about the French national team. Will be rooting for Spain on Sunday.

My view is that tropes and stereotypes about "dark arts" have been around in northern Europe for many years as a way of delegitimizing the success of southern European and South American teams.

Alf Ramsay, the English coach, famously called the Argentinians animals in a WC match in 1966 that perhaps kicked off the animosity in the rivalry. 

As a white American, I'm wary to wade too far into matters of race in Latin countries generally or Argentina specifically. The song was very dumb and racist, and Enzo apologized. That being said, I don't think it was some uniquely Argentinian xenophobia, as I have heard similar sentiments about the France team from educated and ostensibly liberal Americans.

I doubt the Argentinian team is more hateful or xenophobic than your average soccer team, or that Argentina is more racist than Mexico, or the US, or Spain. They are all racist, in their own unique ways.

Scaloni, in a press conference after the England game, called his players "indios", in reference to their toughness, to their coming from rough circumstances. The word choice apparently drew a disapproving eye from his wife in the crowd, to which he clarified he meant "indio in the good sense of the word". I don't think there was any malice to the comment, but yeah it's not something that would really fly here in the US. Of course a team with Lautaro, Lisandro, Nahuel Molina, Paredes certainly does have a lot of native american heritage, and I don't think they were at all offended to be called "indios", rather the opposite, though in modern America ascribing even positive qualities to people based on their heritage would be, uh, problematic.

What is so beautiful about soccer is that it can be played in so many different ways, and that for many countries the style of play has some derivation from their society and culture broadly. For me, I much prefer the southern style emphasizing possession and passing over more direct play. It's very cool that the final is being played between two teams that emphasize technical skill and passing play, though tiki-taka done at a high level does put me to sleep and the Argentinian gambeta is more to my liking.

We all have our preferences and prejudices. Dibu, and the way he plays, understandably pisses a lot of people off, though I thoroughly enjoy his shit housing and mind games. I think it's totally fair that this Argentina team is not for everybody. I don't like Dani Olmo because I think he has a stupid looking face. Fandom is not rational nor should it be.

Also, wanted to say I really enjoyed jacketree's story, and what is so impressive is how many I have read without seeing any repeated tales. The Cardboard's own Forrest Gump.