FIFA's President, Trump and this Pursuit for Global Harmony: A FIFA-Style Approach

'VARIOUS IDEOLOGIES … DIFFERENT APPROACHES …'

When the Venezuelan opposition leader received the latest Nobel Peace Prize for her "dedicated work promoting civil liberties", Donald Trump reacted with exactly the sort of generous behavior you would predict. Having tirelessly managed an effort of self-aggrandizement to ensure he was the recipient, the president promptly asserted responsibility for the South American opposition leader's achievement, listed his own self-proclaimed and frequently debatable accomplishments in the domain of global peacemaking and challenged the authority of the committee who made the decision not to present the medal, cash prize and diploma to him.

While security concerns mean it has yet to be determined if the recently honored Nobel laureate will come forward from hiding to receive her accolade personally at the Oslo ceremony in December, an especially overly deferential soccer organization chief appears hell-bent on taking her thunder nonetheless. Yup, the FIFA president has opted to award a peace prize of his original design in before a worldwide broadcast audience of hundreds of millions international football fans earlier that week in the American capital.

A person who has for years advocated the importance of preserving political matters out of soccer, especially when they are the kind of politics he deems uncomfortable or simply doesn't like, the organization's head used his stage at the America Business Forum in Miami to bang his drum about the ability of the beautiful game to connect people of every color and creed, especially those who have extra $5,000-plus available to acquire variable cost Geopolitics World Cup tickets.

"Within an increasingly uncertain and fragmented global community, it's essential to recognize the outstanding contribution of people who work hard to stop disagreements and unite individuals in a spirit of tranquility", he declared. "Football represents peace and on behalf of the whole sports family, the FIFA Harmony Award – The Game Brings Together will honor the tremendous efforts of those individuals who connect communities, offering hope for future generations."

However which individual could he indicate? While Infantino was cautious not to offer any clues regarding the person of the inaugural award's fortunate winner, he proceeded to segue into a likely distinct and flattering tribute to his current Close Associate (Or At Least Until August Next Year), the US president. His statements undoubtedly had the planned result. Around the world, the most cynical of observers were united in asserting they recognized exactly who would be obtaining the Simulated Unity Honor, with certain individuals even progressing to state completely unfounded claims that the judicially determined and competitive misconduct person being discussed might potentially compelled Infantino to invent it merely to compensate for the president's feeling of injustice at not obtaining the genuine honor.

As plausible a situation as it sounds, Football Daily disagrees, if only because in the past few months the growingly ridiculous soccer administrator has maneuvered himself so far within the leader's circle that it's very likely this recent scheme was truly his personal creation.

And while we can probably assume it stays beyond Infantino's limited wit to present the ultimate surprise by handing the organization's inaugural (and potentially concluding) harmony award to the climate activist, the European statesman or the individual of the soccer club's training personnel who intervened between the footballer and the manager to stop an unedifying important competition sideline confrontation, one might desire the English defender and his Chelsea teammates are asked to attend to the capital in full kit to perform a revenge-hijack of the president's honor occasion.

The metallic unflushable-turd-on-a-plinth, or whichever additional equally tasteful trinket Infantino chooses to present the chief executive for his efforts to world harmony and unity, would more than make up for the winner's medal he infamously palmed and pocketed during the global team tournament award event.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

"A person who worked considerably with rock stars advised me that the time that they reach celebrity is the period they stay for their entire existence. I considered: 'That will not promise favorably for me.' I found myself subject to media attention at sixteen and thrust before the media. You grow up, you start a family, but you're still an athlete. And then, abruptly, it ends but your complete self-image is still associated in it" – the retired athlete delivers insightful commentary in a superb conversation.

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