but the political implications and international intrigue that are involved in certain matchups almost make the sport more than just a game...
(from FinancialTimes)
Soccer result could affect Iranian election
Football fans the world over love to tell anyone who will listen that their sport is “not just a game” – it means so much more than that. But the clash between North Korea and Iran in Pyongyang on Saturday could be one of those occasions when the cliché actually proves true. A World Cup qualifier between the two remaining members of George W. Bush’s infamous axis of evil – one fresh from a nuclear test, the other accused by some of wanting to conduct its own – sparks all sorts of international intrigue. READ MORE
