In the Basque Country we are well aware of the consequences of the explosion of the brick bubble. Now we have another bubble, that of football, not that of sport, but that of the football business, and to a lesser extent of basketball. It has not yet burst. Now that we are immersed in Brazil’s World Cup, it would be good to review and change the football model offered to young people and society. It is precisely in Brazil that workers and popular sectors have mobilized to denounce the enormous expenses of the World Championship and to call for improvements in public transport, education and health.

Some figures: Brazil will spend EUR 2.5 billion on the World Cup, where South Africa spent EUR 1 billion. FIFA – a multinational, more than a sports organisation – will earn EUR 4 billion, of which EUR 35 million is for the winners. The prizes are outrageous: In the case of winning the championship, the one that charges the most money is the Spanish team, with 720,000 euros per player. The Germans would earn EUR 300,000, while those in Cameroon would earn EUR 76,000 each. FIFA is financially supported by international advertising and is surrounded by corruption cases. Meanwhile, Spanish football, where millionaire salaries are paid, is favored by investments and offers tax privileges, although it owes millions of euros to the Treasury and the Social Security. Basque football and basketball are in that context.

Governments and the administration know that football mobilizes millions of people. The policies that drive forward show that they are prepared to spend millions on making football the opium of the people – as before was religion – so that society is sleepy and is not outraged at the austerity policies imposed by the troika, the manager of multinationals and great fortunes. But the time may come when the masses can rise up and pierce that bubble. I hope it will be soon.