The beautiful game?

“The beautiful game?” is framed as a personal reflection on how competitive sports are experienced and interpreted. The author describes past participation in high-level athletics, including varsity basketball in Canada, and representing New Zealand and Australia in curling at world championships, while also noting a strong routine of watching NFL games in Brisbane. They argue that merit, hard work, and team coaching determine outcomes, contrasting this with claims about DEI and identity politics in competitive leagues. The piece shifts to football, explaining naming differences between “soccer” and “football” across regions and the author’s own upbringing in Toronto. The article also touches on why cycling events and the aesthetic of Lycra-clad cyclists do not appeal to them, before returning to football.