There has been much discussion revolving political thought and motivations related to soccer. Much of this has concerned the concept of hosting tournaments or the World Cup and there has often been a disconnect in these examples between the actual players and the government of the nation that they represent. However, the national soccer teams are, as one would expect, incredibly important and are often seen as representations of their nation.
Almost, every team often receives certain characteristics attributed to them and their style of play. These characteristics in turn often influence and are the main way that fans from other nations and those that keep up with soccer view the teams nation as a whole.
Brazil is perhaps the most recognizable of these teams with their characteristics being defined by a singular term, Joga Bonito (the beautiful game). Many think of the Brazilian team and associate them with artistic flair, style, and individual excellence. On the other side of the spectrum are the characteristics associated with the German national team. They are more so known for their discipline, structure, and teamwork.
These characteristics are in turn applied to the nation as a whole. In many cases such as the German team in 1940, these traits are supported by their government. Germany wanted to portray a sense of strength, unity, and coordinated play that represented how they wanted their government to be viewed.
How these teams and their play are viewed can be seen at a national level as well, not only international. This is where more breaks in the portrayal can be seen as those among the nation are usually, but not always, more aware of what is going on in relation to their own government. In Spain this can be seen through the Copa Del Rey, as it was originally called at its conception in 1903. Throughout the years, Spain has changed the name of the tournament as well as what the tournament stands for in relation to their rulers. Due to this, we see how the representation of a team is not limited to other nations and instead can represent their own local region within the nation. Many teams throughout the years have used this tournament as an opportunity to represent their region and spread awareness of their ideals throughout Spain as a whole.
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