My close non-football-loving friends consistently reference the iconic Mitchell and Webb sketch from 2008 that parodied the overwhelming nature of the sport taking over TV.
"Football, football, football" cried Mitchell, "look at it, IT MOVES!" as extreme close-ups of the ball heighten the comedy. Nearly 15 years later, the sketch still resonates with its sharp use of satire. I thought of this as the even more facial Gianni Infantino took the stage for his second press conference of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Nothing was ever going to beat the first on the eve of the tournament which would not look out of place on Saturday Night Live. But this one heralded a more chilling and impactful effect for the growing physical demands on elite players.
