If you’re a soccer neophyte like me, you’ve undoubtedly asked yourself, “Why are those World Cup players swapping their sweaty jerseys after the game?”
Today’s New York Times explains, recounting the history of this odd practice and some anecdotes. A snippet:
The gentlemanly ritual is believed to have begun in 1931, when France beat England for the first time. The French players were so ecstatic they asked the English players if they could have their jerseys as keepsakes. The English obliged.
It was not until 1954 that exchanges took place at a World Cup, according to FIFA.com, but one of the more memorable moments in the ritual was an exchange that did not take place.
In 1966, England defeated Argentina, 1-0, in the quarterfinals, but the play was so vicious that when England’s manager, Alf Ramsey, who had referred to Argentina’s players as animals, spotted one of his players exchanging jerseys with an Argentine, he stepped in and yanked the jersey away.
That image remains as much a part of the rivalry between the countries as Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal and David Beckham’s red card in 1998.
“Ramsey’s intervention was hugely symbolic,” said Ellis Cashmore, a professor of sociology, media and sport at England’s Staffordshire University. “Exchange rituals are freighted with cultural functions, such as reinforcing social solidarity, affirming friendships and perpetuating economic partnerships.”
Stay tuned here for the goal-by-goal scores of Germany vs. Spain.
Oh – so it isn’t about homoëroticism and fanservice?
This is just a guess, but I would wager that footballers are not very homo-friendly. Repressed, sure, but it’s all macho on the surface.
OT (cause it’s soccer), Ross Douthat says this about Kagan and science:
“The culture of science has a bias toward action — if something can be done, scientists almost always want to do it, or at least want the right to do it, without any interference from the civil authorities. This bias is natural enough, and even salutary, so long as we recognize that it is a bias, and don’t allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that it’s some sort of scientific law or testable hypothesis.”
No no, homoeroticism definitely plays heavily into every aspect of soccer.
Nowadays its generally players getting jerseys off the top players from the opposition for their kids and so on. Thats why jerseys are often “called” before the game from players like Ronaldo, messi etc.
This was done long ago in crew (rowing).
Would the sweat and pheromones on the jerseys after the game have anything to do with it? One thinks of dogs sniffing each other’s bums. Do they wash the jerseys?
“Not the Nine O’Clock News” did a sketch based around why ‘real’ blokes bothered to attend womens’ soccer matches.
“Wait ’till the end, mate!” was the reply.
*shirt