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Fascism, Football and the Fans
The football, played on May 14th 1938 at the Berlin Olympic Stadium, would come to be remembered not for the scoreline (six-three to England) but the Nazi salute given by the English team, including Stanley Matthews. The players, who were well aware of what this symbolised, obliged not necessarily out of their own free choice but because they had been ordered to by the Foreign Office. To do otherwise, it was naively thought, would have been disrespectful. Sections of the press, who unlike the government were beginning to see the error of appeasing Hitler, were outraged, as were many supporters. |  The creation of Serie A helped foster a sense of belonging. It also functioned as a mechanism for selecting the country’s best players to compete internationally, a matter which was fundamental to fascist ideology. After all, winning abroad was a victory not just for the Italian team but the far-right ideas of the regime. The 1934 World Cup, held by Italy, was also an opportunity to prove fascist values. Winning would be seen, so it was believed, as a vindication of Mussolini’s aim of rejuvenating the Italian people and state.
|  Buy the book and read all about the 1930s: how the beautiful game became a diplomatic pawn in the build up to war. |
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