Niklas Rådström: Let football win against all cynical bosses and political thugs

In a cultural debate piece for Dagens Nyheter, Niklas Rådström urges for football to prevail against what he describes as cynical administrators and "political thugs." He laments the sport's growing association with anti-democratic currents and authoritarianism globally.

Rådström recalls criticism from the far-right after the 2014 World Cup, which deemed football "un-American" due to its emphasis on collective effort over individual stars and its acceptance of draws, seen as contrary to a "winner-take-all" competitive culture. He found this critique only deepened his affection for the sport.

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When Trump is not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, FIFA President Gianni Infantino rushes forward and gives him a newly invented peace prize in the name of international football.

However, Rådström argues that contemporary international football has alarmingly aligned itself with anti-democratic movements. He points to instances like FIFA President Gianni Infantino presenting Donald Trump with a newly created peace prize, and authoritarian states hosting major tournaments. He also notes club ownership by oligarchs linked to autocratic regimes and Infantino's ties to Vladimir Putin, including receiving a Russian Order of Friendship and advocating for the return of Russian teams to international competitions amid the war in Ukraine.

As the world approaches another football World Cup, hosted partly in the U.S. during the second Trump administration, Rådström observes that Trump seems more receptive to flattery from football officials than to the game itself. The columnist suggests Trump's preference for less regulated combat sports like MMA reflects a "might makes right" mentality, contrasting sharply with the rule-based order Rådström champions in football.

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Infantino, who himself received a Russian Order of Friendship from Vladimir Putin and, during the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, advocates for the lifting of sanctions against Russia so that Russian teams can participate in major international competitions.