Author’s Note: Swiss Police in conjunction with the FBI have arrested seven top FIFA
officials alleging bribery and corruption.
*****
We’ve seen the World Cup at its worst,
The tawdry ticket touts;
The xenophobic mania
From Zaire to Albania,
And liquored lager louts.
We’ve watched fouls blind side of the Ref,
And vicious shoulder bites;
The grabbing of the rival’s shirt
The acting injured on the dirt,
The spitting and the fights.
We’ve viewed the fans in every state,
Who came to see Brazil;
And sanitised Favelas where1
Once Rio’s gangsters had a lair
And Drug Lords used to kill.
We’ve noticed many yellow cards,
And slightly fewer red;
The sneaky kicking off the ball
The dodgy trip and phony fall,
And punches to the head.
The object always is to score,
In ninety-minutes clash;
But goals today are just the means
To Bentley cars and Gucci jeans,
And a huge stash of cash.
But FIFA’s boss claims that the game,2
Is straighter than a die;
But if you fall for that old spiel
It’s certain your bumps need a feel,
As you’ll swear pigs can fly!
- Slum areas, some of which were cleaned
up to promote Brazil’s World Cup image . - Sepp Blatter.