The World Cup has revived American soft power
Not only where the England fans outnumbered by 30 to one inside the Azteca stadium, but on their way to and from the game they had to run a gauntlet of Mexico fans, including the Anti-Globalist Assembly, a far left group that promised to target England supporters because of Britain’s history of colonial rule. The local police advised the visiting fans not to hang around the area after the game – and with good reason. After Mexico beat Ecuador last week, over a million people gathered outside the Azteca to celebrate and four fans died in the crush. Contrast that with the experience of football supporters attending games in the United States.
