5 football debates that will never get old

Life is a debate in itself. As Hamlet questions, “to be or not to be?” Almost all of us live our entire life debating. New car or a new house? A burger or a Pizza? Jeans or shorts? Leonardo di Caprio or Matthew McConaughy? This or that? We make decisions after debating – sometimes within us and sometimes with others.And when it comes to football, debates are like the flow of the never-ending river Nile. Debates take from one extreme to another. Some debates go so far that it unfortunately costs even lives.Some debates become legendary – an immortal epic like Vyasa’s Mahabharata or Homer’s Iliad. In football, there are a few debates that echo in eternity like Sir Alex Ferguson’s chewing gum. And here are five of these ageless debates.

#1 Buy or Promote?

In Spanish, cantera or cartera? This debate has raged on for centuries. Where clubs like Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City are famous for buying, Barcelona, Manchester United (once upon a time) and Atletico Madrid have been raved for entrusting youth.

The club that buy get a lot of criticism than the ones that promote youth. For example, Real Madrid are labelled as the destroyers of talent and resources for buying big name stars and letting go of talented youth teamers. In fact, even if the expensive player does well with the Club, the credit is mostly given to the money. However, if a youth teamer fails with the first team, the club are still praised for being brave.

The truth is that both the policies are the reason why football survives. If players weren’t bought for high prices, the producers would stop producing quality and the vice versa is also true. But who has time to think logically?

#2 Possession or Counter?

When Barcelona wowed the world with their incredibly effective brand of possession football, this debate resurged. Everyone was so impressed that many named their newborn children ‘Possession’.

This once lost art from the Dream Team Barcelona days was revived by the same team a decade later and once again brought the subject to the table: possession or counter?

The people who are still in hypnosis induced by that Barca and Spain team would say possession football is the best way to play. Whereas, fans of this time – who have seen both Bayern and Real ruthlessly win the Champions League and are still in drool because of it – would suggest otherwise.

The truth is, both playing style have their disadvantages and advantages. Against teams that sit very deep and have no intention of going forward, possession is the best approach. And against team that press high up the pitch, counter is the way to go.

However, when possession Football was at its pinnacle, the pioneers who took it to that stage (read: Xavi Hernandez) suggested that it was the gospel – God’s order on how to play Football. Any other style wasn’t considered anti-football and this is where one of the most intriguing football debates kicks in.

#3 Football or Anti-football

Simplest way to describe anti-football would be to say that anything that isn’t football – like diving, hitting the opposition, influencing the referees and so on – is anti-football.

However, this term is used so casually these days that almost everything that is actually football is labelled anti-football.

If a team defends deep, it is anti-football. If a team uses a physical approach within the limits of fair play, it is anti-Football. If a team uses the long-ball approach, it is anti-Football. If Cristiano Ronaldo scores from penalties, it is anti-Football. If Jose Mourinho’s team loses, it is anti-football.

Yeah, you get the idea.

When Helenio Herrera mastered Catenaccio with Inter in the ‘60s, people lauded him for it. It was a beautiful system – a strong and rigid rearguard for a ruthless forefront. It was brutal. It was efficient. And, most importantly, it was highly intricate and required unparalleled concentration and awareness.

Nowadays, we hardly have a team that could even remotely replicate Helenio’s Inter. There are two reasons for this: getting crucified for playing ‘anti’-football and, which is even worse, not having the players with the skillset required to carry out the jobs of this system.

Defending is an art, an art which is sadly fading because of the claims of these self-proclaimed judges of football righteousness. Sitting back and defending deep and piercing the opposition with deadly long-balls (all of which are a part of Football, by the way) is considered anti-football, whereas million back and side passes is seen as a tapestry of God’s art.

Kid 1: “Did you see Andrea Pirlo’s superb 80 yard aerial pass?”

Kid 2: “Yes, it was a disgraceful act of anti-Football.”

Kid 3: “Did you see how the number of passes Xavi made yesterday? 226!”

Kid 2: “Yes, man! It’s beautiful! Totally the way to play football!”

Kid 1: “But half of them were side and back passes.”

Kid 2 and 3 with hostility: “**** off, you anti-football loving freak! You’re a disgrace!”

#4 Technology or More Officials?

Going the captain obvious way, Football is a contact sport and hence the need of officials is very high. The offside rule and goal-line is also a huge reason for this.

And in the modern world, where technology is prevalent, the use of it in Football is highly talked about by many. The argument is, why not use more technology to minimise the errors? And, on the other hand, the counter-argument is that the unpredictability of the game – which makes it so beautiful – will be lost.

Both these arguments have a lot of weight. While modern technology would minimise errors, it would also interrupt the flow of the game – and technology can never have the sense of the Human mind. Whereas, sometimes the mistakes of the referees robs a team of the winners medal.

This is one debate whose end is invisible. If more technology is used, the counter-argument will be louder and vice versa.

#5 Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi?

This is the mother of all current debates. The holy grail. If you wander around the world in search of the Mayan civilization, you might find them. But if you are out looking for a Football fan who has never had an opinion on this matter, you might as well drown yourself in a glass of water.

Not one – zilch, nada – Football fan exists who has never made an input on this topic. It is like the mother tongue of football. New born babies say ‘Maa/Mama’ first and new football fans say ‘Cristiano or Messi?’

This writer will do what everyone else does at point of his/her life and take the high road of hypocrisy and say that instead of just enjoying and taking pleasure in watching these two inhuman beasts rip off the souls of the opponents, it is a shame that we prefer to compare them.

These two are so ahead of the rest that an entire Universe could be fit in between and still there would be space for more. This is the fuel that ignites the fire of this debate. So much that the debate goes as far as comparing the sons of these two superstars. ‘Cristiano’s son is more handsome.’ ‘Messi’s son is cuter.’ ‘Cristiano’s son answers the calls of nature on pampers made of gold.’ ‘Messi’s son does it on platinum-coated diamond diapers.’