There is an old saying in the field of statitistics, “correlation does not imply causation”. This saying ran through my mind as I pondered whether soccer fueled fervor or fervor fueled soccer. In recent years, the passion and emotion intimately associated with the worlds most popular sport seems to have sky rocketed. Huge fights, riots, and a variety of such things are now the rule rather than the exception at soccer games. If one country loses, expect them to set fires, flip cars, and generally create pandemonium. If they win, well, expect pretty much the same thing, but with smiles rather than frowns. The chicken or the egg metaphor is obvious. Which is causing which, is the world becoming more addicted to soccer and thus soccer is fueling the fervor, or is the world becoming more anxious, passionate and irrational and soccer is only a symptom of this?

            I am inclined to believe that the world is merely showing its symptoms of discontent in the form of soccer matches. Countries are more and more connected as globalization marches on, and so wars between neighboring countries would seem to be less likely, as economies are becoming too interconnected. Thus, citizens need another means to display nationalism for their country and disdain for their neighbors. Soccer is just that means, and so now, international rivalries and disputes translate to deeply impassioned soccer fans, cheering for the blood of their rivals. An example of this phenomenon can be seen in the book How Soccer Explains the World. The Protestant Rangers can be heard chanting things like “If you hate the fuckin’ Fenians, clap your hands!(p. 35)” to rattle the cages of opposing teammates and their fans.The deep seeded rivalries often go back ages, with the protestants wearing orange shirts and banners to celebrate a victory of their faith over catholicism over 400 years ago.  The widening of the void between haves and have-nots is the other volatile element possibly playing a role, with much of the world’s population probably feeling this effect and not knowing how to express their frustration.    

This is just one of my explanations. The other explanation is that while the fervor for soccer is rising, it could be caused by some mysterious, unrelated explanation. Ultimately, the increased fervor we see in soccer could be due to something completely random and having nothing to do with interest in soccer, or sociopolitical unrest.  Thus, correlation does not imply causation.  

Comments:

I think it is purely nationalism. Foer relates to this in his book with the hooligans that were recruited to fight in the Serbian/Bosnian genocides of the early '90s.