This week’s readings focused on the 1930s World Cup in Uruguay. The Passage “From Beauty to Duty: A Footballing History of Uruguay” wrote about the racial controversy during the 1916 South American World Cup. This World Cup was intertwined with politics and racial biases. Furthermore, these readings illustrated how football can be used as a tool for political diplomacy.
Players Juan Delgado and Isbelino Gradin were excluded from the 1916 tournament because of their race. Uruguayan media defended Delgado and Gradin as Uruguayan nationals. With this being said, the World Cup provides a sense of national identity, and Delgado and Gradin were denied this due to racial bias.
Ultimately, these three readings showed the intersection of football and politics. Furthermore, they discussed the racial execution of players Juan Delgado and Isabelino Gradin. The World Cup can be used as a tool of political unity and national identity. However, the World Cup can also be used as a way for political leaders to conduct political brainwashing.
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