It is a question that has existed for thousands of years and has sparked a lot of heated discussions on its validity. And it is a question that has troubled the fans of all sports. Should our favorite play just for the win or should they play for the betterment of the sport itself and the pleasure of the spectators? A question that in turn spawns another: why can’t we have both? Believe it or not, the issue is included in the questionnaire that the top Asian and European bookmakers look for the answers to, before deciding on the offers that they will make for any event.
For the world of any sport the issue comes to whether it is better to employ any and all means (including clandestine practices) in order to achieve the objectives, or is it preferable to play like true sportsmen and may the best opponent win? This is the dispute that two major Dutch legends of football brought up at the time when the Netherlands were leading the game against the U.S.A. by 2-0.
Against Van Gaal
In a press conference before the match for the round of 16, the head coach stated clearly that his intentions are to win the title and that he did not care whether the football his team shows on the pitch is liked by the fans or not. In fact, he called it «winning football» which is a euphemism if the reactions are to be taken into account.
Marco Van Basten commented on the first goal scored by Depay, complimenting the entire process, before criticizing the rest of the performance. The two statements read:
“1-0 was total football and the most beautiful attack of the tournament so far,”
“Two great goals. The rest is for crying. As a football fan, I ask myself. What do I see? Zero initiative. Is there anything to be proud of? If we win the World Cup, everyone will be happy. But I don’t know if I can I can take it (he means the Holland game) for a long time to come. We all started playing football because we found it fun, right? I don’t think these players are having fun.”
Rafael Van der Vaart went even further, referencing Frenkie de Jong:
“I think he’d rather be in his hotel room now. He’d like to go to Van Gaal and say ‘can you take me out, please?’”
The two footballers clearly dislike the way their national team plays the game. And they were not willing to hold back.
It’s the skills not the plan
The two stars probably recall the level of football that the Dutch team played when they were members of the roster. For Van Basten even more so, as his brilliance was accompanied by Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and other top-class players that could produce a good spectacle while accomplishing the objectives of their side.
However, as shown by the accomplishments of Japan, when the players themselves do not have the skills to play well, then the plan becomes the most important aspect of the game. While the current roster of the Dutch is filled with great players, they are nowhere near the level of their predecessors. A fact that justifies the way that Van Gaal approaches the matches in order to do what he intends to: win the title.
It’s the distinction that makes the question a matter of principle. Is it more important to achieve the objective or to play as best as possible and care not about the outcome? The answer should be given by each individual separately. There cannot be a common denominator to two diametrically opposite views if those that are called upon, cannot support both sides of the sport.
For the punters themselves, it’s a rather null point. Their activities after registering for an account via agent aim to make their wagers profitable, and that makes no distinction on whether the outcome has been a result of means justifying the ends, or the nectar and ambrosia of footballers delivering magnificent video footage of brilliant football to be cherished in the future.