Book

Ball

Tariq Ali Fadaq

Date of publication: July 20, 2026 22:31 KSA

There are no precise ways to measure the density of human emotions, and if there were, the highest measurements would likely be in hospitals and airports. These places are charged with emotions more than others due to the nature of interactions within them and their many users. It is rare to find quantities of tears exceeding those that flow during moments of arrival and departure in airport lounges, or in patient waiting rooms, delivery wards in hospitals, or even in patient billing offices sometimes. But this month, we saw exceptions to these measurements in gatherings watching World Cup football matches. I add here that the overflow of emotions was not limited to stadiums in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but extended through the airwaves and cables to reach more than five thousand million people. And although I am not a football enthusiast or fan, I found myself following the matches, especially those of our Saudi national team and all Arab teams. I followed with passion and enthusiasm, raising my level of football culture, and consuming amazing amounts of popcorn without reservation or shame. We were all dazzled by the beauties of the game, including the beauty of the ball itself with its amazing geometric design. In addition to the aesthetic aspects, this design gives the football - by the will of God - tremendous strength to withstand constant kicking and hitting, and also gives it the ability to fly straight without deviations.

During the various matches, the world discovered the capabilities of new technologies in measuring the acceleration, speed, and height of the ball, and the amount of energy affecting its body. The new technologies also allowed - by the will of God - to show offside lines, player movements, and details of play and the field through the lenses of dozens of high-definition cameras. But above all, the world witnessed levels of physical fitness, professionalism, strategies, tactics, planning, and strength in football arts. We also witnessed some strange excesses in blatant bias, especially in the match of sister Egypt against the Argentine team. Among the beauties we saw was the sportsmanship that reflects the ethics of top players who were subjected to deliberate physical and verbal abuse, including for example the star Mohamed Salah, Yassine Bounou, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Haaland. There are also civilizational, political, and historical aspects of the game. Imagine if the Congo team played against the Belgium team 52 years after the colonialism that drained the African country of its resources in ways stranger than fiction. And what if the sister Algeria team played against France after 132 years of harsh colonialism. In watching France and England, it was as if we touched the remnants of wars between them that lasted more than a hundred years. And we all witnessed the match between England and Argentina, which was not free from remnants of the war over the "Falklands" as the English call them, and the Malvinas as the Argentinians call them.

Thank God that the systems and rules of football matches do not allow the carrying of weapons by players or spectators, otherwise we would have seen catastrophic bloodshed due to World Cup matches. I hope we remember that the measure of human emotions is not limited to healing centers and travel facilities; certainly, World Cup football matches have taken first place. And it is sad that the emotions during those matches received more attention from the world than the war on dear Gaza. Glory be to God Almighty. And He is behind the purpose.

Human emotions and feelings