I’m told this was a fabulous game. I watched it, I saw the goals, I experienced the football atmosphere, but personally I still don’t really see the great appeal of football. What I did get throughout the match however, was a sense of how little ideal masculinities have changed since the nineteenth century. I know I have posted on this previously, but I figured that it was worth another post.
Bodies should be “lithe, without any surplus fat, and no feature of the body or face disturbed in their noble proportions”
Male figures should show “no anger, desire or surprise” and should exemplify “rest in motion”
Compare this to Greek statues (for more information see my first blog post here https://anneshistoryblog.wordpress.com/author/anneshistoryblog/page/4/ )
“The abstract ideal of human beauty was based upon a newly found consciousness of the beauty of the Greek sculpture”
Also, this, because this is an adorable story of a Brazilian who gave his trophy to a German fan at the end of the match and it makes me want to shed a little tear! Plus it’s a great example of sports being an acceptable place for men to show emotion and a good example of fair play.