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Mapping Migration and Identity at the World Cup, 1930-2018
Gijsbert Oonk, Associate Professor in non-western history, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands
Abstract:
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, two hundred of the 736 footballers (over 25%) were, on paper, eligible to represent more than one national team. The national team of Morocco took the biscuit, as only six of the 23 players in their squad were actually born and raised in the country. The Moroccan team was basically an European team with players originating from countries like France, the Netherlands, Spain and Belgium. The diversity of within the Moroccan national team leads to a diversity of spoken languages at training sessions and during matches, with Arabic, Berber, French and Dutch as the most prominent ones. Because three quarters of the Moroccan footballers is not born in its country, Morocco’s French-headcoach Hervé Renard shouts his commands in two languages: French and English. Historians are aware that these seemingly recent developments may have long histories. The emergence of migrant football players in national teams is nothing new.. Already at the first World Cup in 1930, the national team of the United States included five players who were born in Scotland and one Englishman. Moreover, the Italian national team of 1934 became the world champion with the help of four Argentina-born footballers and one native from Brazil. All these South Americans were eligible to represent Italy because of their descent. It is interestingly that it was Benito Mussolini himself who supported the selection of these migrant players by publicly emphasising their blood connection with the Italian nation. (Campenhout, Sterkenburg en Oonk; 2018). In general: states increasingly accept ‘imported’ or migrated talent to promote their country’s name and fame in major sporting events like the Olympic Games or FIFA World Cup football. On the one hand, this increases the freedom of mobility and options for talented athletes. On the other, if a nation wishes to increase its chances in international sport events by using talent without any prior relationship with the country, this stretches the notion of ‘nationality’ and ‘national belonging’. In this research we aim to answer two fundamental questions: (1) How many football players switched nationality or were foreign born, 1930-2018 at the FIFA World Cup (2) How do football players, sport-federation and states use citizenship and admissibility rules to make claims of belonging and eligibility?