FIFA World Cup 2018 – The Coldest One.

FIFA World Cup 2018 – The Coldest One.

While hanging a placard on the wall, professor Roel Hoving did not realize what I asked him, maybe this was caused by the excitement of the previous day having just celebrated 25 years of teaching at Hanze University. I had to repeat myself as he looked forward to the announcement by FIFA in the organization of the World 2018. “It is today?” He asked not very concerned about this matter and the result of the candidacy of his country, the Netherlands with Belgium. The other competitors were applicants of Spain together with Portugal, England and Russia. “I wish we won of course, but if not, I do not care”. He said.

Certainly he’s not realized the nearly 40-minute delay of the ceremony neither  the speech of FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter at the federation's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, about the union of nations through sports, especially football, as happens with all speeches. But this was something special ... something unique from the cold. Official representatives and most heads of state of countries to vote were present, and restless about the result.

When the envelope was opened, all the 6 nations gathered individually or together, filled with hope to organize the world's biggest sporting event after the Olympics. The name of Russia, the coldest country in the competition, was to become inflamed with joy and freeze even more the other ones.

To be decide the winner, the 22 members of FIFA who have the right to vote (each one with one vote) have to decide the winning country with an absolute majority. It took two rounds. In the first one England was eliminated with only two votes. In contest remained Netherlands and Belgium with 4 votes, Portugal and Spain with 7 and 9 with Russian candidacy. In the second round, two votes were won by the countries of central Europe and the Iberian bid won by 7 was not enough to defeat Russia with 13 points, winning a majority. Russia hosts the 2018 World Cup.

The Russians in the room jumped and shouted with joy surrounded by old stars like the average Dutch midfielder Ruud Gullit, and the strong Spanish central defender Fernando Hierro who was sitting next to Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, the Portuguese black panther. And many other faces portrayed disappointment.

In addition to the unfortunate countries, many other nations have no doubt that the sporting character of Russia has been the brunt of the vote. In times of crisis, everyone is afraid of losing the friendship with the most powerful.

Vladimir Putin failed to submit the applications and results of the decision.  Some said he missed the ceremony on December 2 ashamed to go out of Switzerland defeated. Your country has finally come out the envy of European countries without oil resources, without discovering what was the other thing that was missing to win the World Cup organization.

Marcelo Chagas