The World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada is more than a football tournament; it serves as a mirror reflecting the isolationism and divisiveness of the Trump era.
As the event unfolds, it reveals both the challenges and the unexpected possibilities for unity.
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One of the most striking aspects of the tournament is the way it draws attention to the US as a host nation.
The country is a violent, stratified place with a history of slavery and economic colonialism.
Yet, it also embodies a dream of human-scale connection, symbolized by hand-sized creations like the hamburger and the baseball mitt.
This World Cup is the first global event to take place deep inside the online space, where everything is flattened into images and shouted ideas.
The flow of information now mirrors how Donald Trump took power: flooding the zone with simple messages above the noise.
However, the tournament also offers a counter-narrative.
Meeting people in real spaces is an act of revolutionary dissent, a refusal to accept the loss of scale.
The reception from everyday Americans has been warm, with many eager to discuss how their country is viewed abroad, to apologize and explain, and to rage against Trump's isolationism.
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Football as a Model for Connection
Football literally models ideas of connection and togetherness.
Teams like the diaspora XIs of Curaçao and Cape Verde show what countries are and how they interact with the world.
