Seeing another story of FIFA being corrupt is like seeing another story of something crazy coming out of the White House. Never really surprised but still disappointed.
Hot off the presses former “good guy” FIFA president Michel Platini admits in an interview with France Bleu Sport that there was, as he put it, “a little trickery” in the 1998 World Cup group draw. They made it so the big boys of France and Brazil wouldn’t be able to play each other till the final, most likely so they could have the best TV ratings. The two international powerhouses of soccer would ultimately play in that final where Zidane would put the team on his back with two clutch headers, a man known for his clutchness in finals. I mean the UCL final volley was a FUCKING WORLDY of a goal. An all-timer for you soccer noobs. Anyway Brazil would be blown out like usual with Emanual Petit capping things off making it 3-0 and the rest is history.
What more can I say about this news. FIFA has a longggggg history of corruption so any new news coming out about them doesn’t even flicker my Richter scale anymore. From all the horrible controversies they pressed onto Brazil for the 2014 World Cup which essentially made a country go broke to fucking indentured servitude in the Middle East with these stadiums being built in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup. Just the tip of the corruption iceberg my friends.
ALSO… isn’t saying “there was a little trickery” the most evil European way of saying there was corruption. Like this is level 10 bond villain CEO shit. Anyway best thing that came out of this was Martin, co-host of Loud Americans Discussing Soccer ;), saying, “Essentially if it happened 20 years ago you can admit to anything, murder, Russian piss parties, armed robbery, you’re good.”