If you’ve been glued to the 2022 FIFA World Cup over the past few weeks, you’ve no doubt been mesmerized by Lionel Messi.
And you’ve likely smiled as he led Argentina to victory, and captured the final piece of his epic career: a world cup, following a dramatic penalty shootout against France in the early hours of Monday morning.
It was a goosebumps moment. A reminder of the power of sport to demonstrate class, skill, entertainment, and style. Watching French President Emmanuel Macron shake Messi’s hand before slapping him on the back in a gesture of respect – despite being devastated by his own country’s loss – showed how sport can create a level of heartwrenching drama that results in utmost appreciation for those who triumph over you.
Messi, meanwhile, has been working to evolve the game.
He is said to have promoted a modern form of masculinity in Argentina, described as “the perfect man for this moment” by The New York Times, in a piece that parallels his rise with the growth of the feminist movement pushing for female players to garner more funds and less sexual harassment. He has defied toxic masculinity, especially in the parts of football that have remained stubbornly sexist and misogynist. He supported a movement in his hometown to end violence in stadiums, including a campaign in which he cries while various images of fans attacking each other are shared. He has been mocked in the past for showing such emotion, tainted as being soft and weak, but has continued to showcase himself as a gentle, family man.
But on the weekend in Australia, we saw something very different in the A-League: toxic masculinity at its worst, in scenes resulting in the Melbourne City Vs Melbourne Victory game being abandoned
Melbourne City’s goalkeeper Tom Glover left the pitch bleeding, after a metal bucket was thrown at his head by a spectator. Fans threw flares, with one hitting and injuring a cameraman. 150 people were said to have stormed the pitch, climbing the goals and causing havoc. It was a moment that “lacked total respect for the game of football,” said Jason Goddard from Victoria Police. Releasing photos of some of the key people involved, he said detectives will be “knocking on a few doors soon.”
Just imagine if you’d taken a child to this game, fresh from being inspired by the international competition.
The violence came after fans from both teams had planned a walkout to occur at the 20 minute mark of the game, as part of a larger protest against the Australian Professional Leagues’ decision to sell the rights to the next three grand finals to be hosted in Sydney, regardless of who was playing.
For other games across the country, the protest occurred without violence.
But thanks to the behaviour of this male-dominated group — just a tiny fraction of the thousands of fans who attended and never attempted to invade the pitch — these images have been shared globally. Australia’s own epic run at the World Cup has been tarnished.