FIFA's President, Trump and the Pursuit for Global Harmony: A FIFA-Style Initiative

'THIS-ISM … THAT-ISM …'

When the Venezuelan opposition leader won the current year's international peace honor for her "tireless work promoting civil liberties", Donald Trump responded displaying exactly the kind of Maga-nanimous reaction one might expect. After consistently run a push of self-aggrandizement to make certain he won it himself, the president promptly claimed credit for the Venezuelan political figure's triumph, listed his own personally declared and regularly questionable achievements in the domain of international diplomacy and challenged the credibility of the committee who chose not to present the recognition, monetary award and certificate to him.

Although protection considerations indicate it is still uncertain if the recently honored Nobel laureate will emerge from seclusion to receive her honor in person at the Norwegian event in December, a certain obsequious Fifa president looks hell-bent on appropriating her thunder regardless. Yup, the FIFA president has opted to present a peace prize of his own creation in facing an international television viewership of countless numbers worldwide sports followers earlier that week in the American capital.

A man who has throughout numerous seasons promoted the importance of keeping political matters separate from soccer, especially when they are the type of political positions he deems awkward or just objects to, Infantino utilized his platform at the America Business Forum in Miami to promote his agenda about the ability of football to connect people of all races and faith, notably those who have additional significant financial resources knocking around to purchase flexibly valued International Football Championship admissions.

"Within an increasingly unsettled and fragmented world, it's essential to acknowledge the exceptional contribution of people who strive earnestly to stop disputes and bring people together in an attitude of peace", he parped. "Soccer stands for peace and acting for the whole soccer world, the Football Unity Honor – Soccer Connects Globally will honor the significant efforts of those individuals who unite people, providing hope for coming years."

Yet who might he reference? While the FIFA president was prudent not to offer any clues regarding the identity of the first honor's selected honoree, he went on to move into a likely separate and sycophantic tribute to his current Close Associate (Or For The Immediate Future), the US president. His words certainly had the intended outcome. Around the world, the most cynical among us were united in asserting they understood precisely who would be receiving the Simulated Unity Honor, with some even going so far as present entirely baseless assertions that the judicially determined and cheating-at-golf man-baby under consideration might potentially compelled Infantino to create the award just to make up for the leader's sense of grievance at failing to receive the authentic award.

As credible a situation as it appears, Football Daily begs to differ, if only because in the past few months the growingly ridiculous soccer administrator has worked his path to such an extent within the leader's circle that it's very likely this recent scheme was actually his own idea.

And even though one might reasonably conclude it remains past the administrator's restricted imagination to throw the ultimate surprise by presenting the organization's inaugural (and possibly last) peace prize to the environmental campaigner, Volodymyr Zelenskyy or the individual of the Italian team's technical team who got between Ademola Lookman and Ivan Juric to stop an unedifying major tournament sideline confrontation, we can at least hope Reece James and his club colleagues are requested to participate to the city dressed in gear to conduct a revenge-hijack of Trump's presentation ceremony.

That metallic unflushable-turd-on-a-plinth, or whichever additional comparably appropriate trinket Infantino chooses to award the American president for his efforts to international unity and cooperation, would more than make up for the winner's medal he notoriously took and retained during the Club World Cup final presentation ceremony.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

"An individual who worked extensively with entertainment icons told me that the age that they become celebrity is the age they remain for all their future years. I thought: 'That fails to promise favorably for me.' I became subject to media attention at sixteen and placed in front of the press. You grow up, you become a dad, but you remain a footballer. Then, all of a sudden, it ends but your complete self-image is still connected in it" – the retired athlete delivers insightful commentary during a superb conversation.

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Sandra Evans
Sandra Evans

A visionary artist and writer with a passion for exploring the intersection of creativity and technology in contemporary culture.