It almost World Cup time and I cannot wait. I love it. I have created my first of at least two soccer picture montages. Here is what passes for soccer in the political sphere. Some do better than others.
Nelson Mandela
Pictured here in Switzerland in 2004 after the announcement of South Africa winning the bid to host the 2010 World Cup.
Gordon Brown
For someone who always looks like he’s about to fall asleep, he does alright.
Barack Obama
OK, so he’s no Pele. At least he gives it a try.
Michelle Obama
Looks to have more soccer skills than her husband.
Dmitri Medvedev
Not too bad.
David Cameron
He seems to be settling in nicely.
Nicolas Sarkozy
He always looks a little awkward.
Evo Morales
The President of Bolivia actually plays on a local team.
Angela Merkel
Apparently quite the fan, Angela Merkel was quoted in the lead up to the 2006 World Cup as saying that she “had arranged her schedule so that she could watch any match Germany plays, including the final.” Hmmmm… yeah… about that… VIVA AZZURRI!
Tony Blair
Looks good by politician standards… until he tries to kick a ball.
The G5
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, South African President Jacob Zuma, and Chinese State Counsellor Dai Bingguo pose with autographed Brazilian national team jerseys.
Joe Biden
He looks lost – like someone handed him that ball and said “Here, hold this and smile.” Still, he gets credit from this soccer fan for even being there. I don’t see Rahm Emanuel, Janet Napolitano, Hillary Clinton, or anyone else in the administration out there, do you? Incidentally, I will be very disappointed if someone doesn’t pick up a soccer ball – or better yet, kick it – for a photo-op between now and the end of the World Cup.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Because idiots play, too.
Silvio Berlusconi
He can give soccer part of the credit for being in office today. He’s President of AC Milan – a well-known team even here in the US – and used the name recognition it gave him to launch a political career which has now made him President of Italy.
Bill Clinton
Pictured here in 1997 getting a lesson from Brazilian soccer legend Pelé. He looks very silly, but he gets credit for trying and also for trying to bring the 2018 or 2022 World Cup to the US. Here is a post I wrote about that very thing.
Dubya
Dubya knows next to nothing about soccer and, for a refreshing change from the actions of politicians in general, he’s totally honest. He was quoted as saying “[A] lot of us grew up not knowing anything about soccer, like me. I never saw soccer as a young boy. We didn’t play it where I was from. It just didn’t exist.” Thanks for being upfront about it, Dubya!
Uhhhh… that’s the wrong sport! Hey, has Dick Cheney been giving you golf lessons again?
Discourse in C# Minor 