What are the advantages and disadvantages of immigration policies in European countries to the development of football standards in various countries?

On May 3rd1,2065438, the American government said a self-evident statement. At that time, it was warned that the 20 16 European Cup, which opened in June 10, was likely to be the target of terrorist attacks. The "Islamic State" organization has indicated its intention in 20 15 1 1. At that time, the organization chose the Franco-German war held in Paris landmark stade de france as the "original explosion point" for carrying out crazy terrorist attacks. Washington learned that Ukrainian authorities arrested a right-wing French suspect in May, who was accused of buying and hiding a large number of weapons to launch attacks during the European Cup.

For an organization that attaches great importance to the symbolic meaning of the target, it is not difficult to understand that stade de france was chosen to launch the attack. On that day, four Muslim players played for France (midfielder Lassana Diarra lost a cousin in that attack), and four other Muslim players left on behalf of Germany.

Represents national identity

The national football team is the most popular way to represent national identity in Europe today. The fact that there are so many Muslim players and colored immigrant players in the national football team makes the football match a symbolic scene to show the inclusiveness of the country. This fact also makes the "Islamic State" organization and neo-Nazis very disgusted with this kind of football match. Both groups believe that Muslims do not belong to western society.

Among the 24 teams gathered in the 20 16 European Cup, many of them symbolize the ideal form for the country to cope with the challenge of integrating into refugees. In this political struggle under the concept of "state", the symbolic power of the national football team should not be underestimated.

For many Europeans today, the national football team competition is the only moment when they express their national identity excitedly. At any other time, hundreds of thousands of French people will gather in pubs all over the country and even around the world, solemnly singing La Marseillaise, and spend several hours in a ritualized way to show the illusory relationship between millions of strangers? When else will Germans be happy to wave the national flag?

British historian Eric hobsbawm wrote in 1990, when thinking about the role of sports in stimulating national sentiment: "Assuming that there are hundreds of people in a group, as a form of expression, a team composed of 1 1 celebrities seems more realistic."

National identity is generally flexible and easily influenced by ever-changing political trends, and its scope will change with time. The 20 16 European Cup was held against the background of the serious crisis of European identity: a wave of economic tension and long-term economic stagnation triggered more and more serious social conflicts. Due to the attempt to amend the labor law, the French transportation system went on strike one after another, and the logistics support of this competition is likely to be seriously disturbed. At the same time, a large number of refugees from Syria and other regions flooded into Europe because of the war, which triggered more and more serious nationalist opposition.

Anti-immigrants have to restrain themselves.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel once called multiculturalism a failure. But for the sake of decency, he took a firm stand. Merkel insists that Germany will accept 500,000 refugees caused by the Syrian war. In addition to expressing moral sympathy, Merkel also knows that the birth rate in Germany is very low and the national economy is in urgent need of a large number of population injections. However, as the right-wing forces resist the idea of integrating refugees into German society, Merkel may count on this German national football team to help him-at least eight players in this German national team participating in the European Cup 20 16 are of immigrant origin, and four of them are Muslims.

Even racists and right-wing forces suffering from "Islamophobia" seem unwilling to publicly criticize this beloved German national football team, which won the world championship. Two weeks ago, "European Patriots Resist the Islamization of the West" lashed out at a very popular chocolate brand because it suddenly added colored children to the image of children on the packaging paper. But soon, the movement bowed its head and apologized like a chicken that ate broken rice, because people found that the "disgusting" image of children on the wrapping paper was the childhood photos of German national football team defender boateng and midfielder Gondogan-boateng and Gondogan were Ghanaian and Turkish descendants respectively. Amid criticism, the movement urged its members to stay out of trouble.

Boateng

A few days later, a leader of the German Alternative Party, which opposes immigration, declared that Germans may like green boateng, but they don't want to live next door to boateng. This remark was also criticized, and the leaders later chickened out. He wrote on Twitter: "boateng is a great player and he deserves to be a member of the German national team. I am full of expectations for this European Cup. "

The Swiss People's Party, which opposes immigration, faces an even more embarrassing situation. Switzerland may be setting a ceiling on the number of immigrants and banning the construction of Islamic religious sites, but in the 23-member list of the Swiss national football team, 14 people are immigrants-8 of them are Muslims in the Balkans. At the 20 14 World Cup, then coach Otmar Hitzfeld said, "If there were no immigrants, we wouldn't have formed a team."

Although the Swiss People's Party sought new immigration restrictions, it praised the achievements of the Swiss national team.

Political conflict is imminent.

The lineup of the Swiss national football team also reminds people that the Syrian war was not the initiator of forcing Muslim refugees to seek asylum in various parts of Europe. Most of the immigrant players in the Swiss team are Kosovars in Albania, and the huge trauma caused by the disintegration of Yugoslavia led to their parents leaving their homes. There is no doubt that Kosovo just established a national football team a few months ago, because its status as a nation-state has not been universally recognized. The rules of FIFA are still so contradictory: Wales and Northern Ireland are not nation countries, but they have appeared in the European Cup.

In fact, 20 16 coincides with the "Easter Uprising" against British rule 100 anniversary. For the first time in the history of the European Cup, two Irish teams will fight, which reflects that Ireland has been divided since the uprising. If the violent conflict has basically subsided, then more contemporary conflicts reflected by this game are still changeable.

Europe still does not welcome Turkey to join its political union, although Europe is very happy to compete with Turkey on the court. However, if Turkey confronts Germany on this dramatic stage, it is still not expected that President Eldo, who is crazy about football, will watch the game with Merkel at that time-although this is a tradition. The German Parliament voted. Ankara is angry that the mass slaughter of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in 19 15 was regarded as genocide. It's elusive. How does Turkey feel about having to face a group of top Turkish players wearing German shirts, such as Ozil?

But compared with the bizarre experience of Swiss midfielder granit xhaka, this is just a drop in the ocean. Zaka's Swiss team will play against the team, and his brother Taurant Zaka plays for Albania. Six players in the Swiss national team may choose to represent them, while 10 players in the Albanian team grew up in Switzerland.

In addition, let alone an unlikely situation: Russia and Ukraine, the sworn enemies, may confront each other head-on (it is difficult for Ukraine to reconcile the main players in the team at present, because the generals in the team mainly come from Dynamo Kiev, the capital club, and Donetsk miners in the pro-Russian eastern region).

A true reflection of the immigrant era

International football rules reflect the reality of the era of accelerated immigration. In this era, the concept of nationality is neither fixed nor dual. A player can choose to play for the country where he lives for a long time, or for his country of birth-if it is not the same country-or for the country of his parents or grandparents. He can choose to play for one country before 2 1 year old, or he can choose to play for another country after becoming a senior player.

The French team of 1998 set an epic example. The team that won the world championship in stade de france fully demonstrated the potential of football in making the public accept a more inclusive national identity. Led by Zidane, the soul of the midfielder, this team won the World Cup mysteriously. Zidane's father came from Algeria and made a living by watching the gate at night in Marseille. Jean-Marie Le Pen, the former leader of the National Front against immigration, complained that this was not a "real French team". However, after the team won the cup, it still triggered street celebrations, with the scale of 1944 being the largest since the liberation of Paris.

But this euphoria is only a flash in the pan, and the social drama staged in football is not always a great unity and reconciliation. The 20 10 World Cup France team collapsed due to internal problems, and the French football management department blamed this on the attitude of black and Arab players.

The "Islamic State" organization hopes to narrow the choice of Muslims. But even in the face of racial hostility, many young immigrant players seem to be committed to achieving a more consistent vision. France fought back on the brink of defeat, beating Ukraine in one fell swoop and advancing to the 20 14 World Cup finals.

The French government is also aware of the influence of football on the establishment of national imagination and national feelings. A promotional film for the 20 16 European Cup, supported by the French government, described that French people of all colors and beliefs sent the same message to the French national team: "Realize our dreams. We want to make our dreams come true! "

At present, France is in urgent need of another multicultural football victory to exert its healing power. So do Germany and Belgium. In Belgium, the traditional feud between Forand Wadi has been replaced by fierce fighting with the Islamic State in several cities.