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Phenomenology of the football betrayal

From Luis Figo to Donnarumma, passing through Higuain and Zlatan

Phenomenology of the football betrayal  From Luis Figo to Donnarumma, passing through Higuain and Zlatan

Current society betrayal's role seems as basic as the same agreement it is going to break down. As the behavior demanding to cut the relationship became usual, instead the faithful love belong to the past, sounding like out of date. Word descends from Latin "tradimentum": the act o the fact that cuts a task or a moral, legal loyalty must; especially thinking to the must or the task being loyal to the spouse or the person you are engaged in a love affair. Even the Encyclopedia talks about love and affection relationship, and how the fidelity link is something about free choices: no coercion in love.

The relationship between a supporter and the player, to illustrate his passion in a single body, a dot for the feelings, is something complicated to explain: often the only connection is about dozens of metres, the player on the green field and the supporter on the bleachers; more and more again the player is billionaire and the other one is penniless. But that's something that will never ruin the feelings dynamics, and that's also the reason why those kinds of adorations - an endless love - make a huge pain once they change in betrayals.

Every single of those reasons pushes to use the word "heart" to talk about this frustration. Neapolitan people have tested two very painfull, the last one about Higuain, and another one going back to the past that introduced the term "ungrateful heart", like the Josè Carreras and Enrico Caruso songs. So once upon a time, Altafini has been. And he needed more than 30 years to wash away the shame on the Neapolitan people eyes. "Now I am not ungrateful heart anymore", he said after Higuain transfer. It seems like as he felt free from a big weight: vudù Neapolitans rituals scare people.

Napoli, Barcelona, so similar cities. Same geographical structure, a sea that caresses a side, and a dark gothic or borbonic history inside the narrow streets that greets on the other side. But comparable even as a theatre of the greatest player in history. Diego Maradona as regret and trouble-maker on Catalans people eyes. But Diego Maradona as the founder of a new religion in Naples.

 

And Barcelona as theatre of a double betrayal: Luis Figo – a kind of trauma well explained in the video during Barca/Real at the Camp Nou – then Ronaldo; maybe less painful due to his physical issues during the inter-period, as the bad luck on a player who is intended to change the world soccer forever is too much unfair, so he is forgiven about that mess-up. In this world, every single thing has clear rules, and so the betrayal. How many times before it will not be betrayal anymore? Roberto Baggio could be called traitor once he went to the Juventus after a long love story in Florence, but then? The others 4 clubs?

In the same way, why if we had a love/hate relationship with a player we feel a strange perception on betrayal? As Balotelli's transfer from Inter to Milan – ride on Manchester – always looked like a child's whim and a lot of faults on his representant. Meanwhile, the Ganz's goodbye, always from Inter to Milan, has been so painful.

But let's face the truth if he didn't bring any trophies, even if he is great, once he left – headed to Barcelona – and his ex-team wine the triplete, also when he comes back to the enemies it is not tragic. About Ibrahimovic, Inter supporters see that story as a short-lived love story waiting for the one: Mourinho.  Thiniking of the coach, one of the biggest pain is about Fabio Capello to Milan and Rome supporters, working on that Juventus before the scandals.

And then Tevez – both sides of Manchester – or Collovati, both sides of Milan; six years with the red devils, then Inter; also deeper thinking about the forthcoming relegation: you are leaving the sinking boat! And, last but not least, the man who probably most change the last 30 years soccer world, before as a player and then as a manager: Johan Cruijff and his championship with the Feyenoord, Ajax supporters still need to overcome the trauma.

Football has made even by betrayals because love has made even by betrayals, no other explanation.