I t’s the viral event of the month. The Twittersphere has exploded with an overwhelmingly one-sided and raucous celebration at the news that nine senior officials at Fifa have been indicted on charges of wire fraud, bribery and racketeering.
Here’s a taste of it.
There’s the restrained satisfaction of past stars who have to watch their words now they’re media pundits…
And the irony of the game being cleaned up by a country that ignored it for the best part of 120 years wasn’t lost on some.
There was delight at how the staff at the 5-star Bauer au Lac hotel in Zurich protected the dignity of their esteemed guests as they were led off to face the rap.
And there were inevitably reminders of the human cost of building the stadiums for the World Cup in Qatar, which campaigners say have already cost over a thousand migrant workers’ lives.
It would be fair to say that a general air of skepticism prevailed regarding President Sepp Blatter’s absence from the list of the indicted.
Some had fun with Fifa spokesman Walter de Gregorio’s claim that Blatter is “calm” but “is not dancing in his office.”
Others even went so far as to doubt Mr. de Gregorio’s claim that Blatter and Fifa were fully cooperating with the investigation.
But most looked forward cheerfully to the future, nonetheless.
A few optimists highlighted the lucrative possibilities for the next edition of the Fifa-branded computer soccer game.
But most of all, there has just been a huge outpouring of relief and joy from fans across the world at the thought that, despite all of the evidence to the contrary over the years, even Fifa and its officials aren’t above the law.
Stunning similarities of the 2014 World Cup Left: Argentina's Lionel Messi prepares to shoot a corner kick during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Switzerland at the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo. Right: A silhouette of Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo is seen reacting during their match against Germany at the Fonte Nova arena in Salvador. Victor R. CaivanoâAP; Dylan MartinezâReuters Left: Argentina soccer fans celebrate as they travel on a train towards the Corinthians arena at the Luz Station before the match between Argentina and Switzerland.
Right: Fans of England gather in a bar ahead of the England's match against Uruguay in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Nacho DoceâReuters; Oli ScarffâGetty Images Left: US fans cheer before the start of the match between the US and Belgium in Chicago. Right: Mexico's fans celebrate holding a mask of Mexico's head coach Miguel Herrera after the group A World Cup soccer match between Croatia and Mexico at the Arena Pernambuco. Tannen MauryâEPA; Ricardo MazalanâAP Left: A reflection of cheering fans is seen before the 2014 World Cup opening match between Brazil and Croatia at the Corinthians arena in Sao Paulo. Right: Brazilian fans await the kick off of a Group A football match between Brazil and Croatia at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo. Ivan AlvaradoâReuters; Odd AndersenâGetty Images Left: Argentina's Lionel Messi fights for the ball during their match against Iran at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte. Right: Brazil's Neymarcontrols the ball against Cameroon during their match at the Brasilia national stadium in Brasilia. Kai PfaffenbachâReuters; Dominic EbenbichlerâReuters Left: Fans of Brazil during the game between Brazil vs Germany in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Right: A US fan before their 2014 World Cup Group G soccer match against Portugal at the Amazonia arena in Manaus. Victor MoriyamaâGetty Images; Dylan MartinezâReuters Left: Colombia's midfielder James Rodriguez reacts as he leaves the pitch after the quarter-final football match between Brazil and Colombia at the Castelao Stadium. Right: Brazil's Neymar reacts to a missed shot during the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals between Brazil and Colombia at the Castelao arena. Eitan AbramovichâAFP/Getty Images; Jorge SilveâReuters Left: A group of Chilean soccer fans walk through the streets as they wait for their team to play Spain during the World Cup. Right: Fans of England wearing full-body suits pose for a photograph in a bar before the England match against Uruguay on in Sao Paulo. Joe RaedleâGetty Images; Oli ScarffâGetty Images Left: Argentine striker Lionel Messi celebrates his goal against Iran during their match in Belo Horizonte. Right: Costa Rica's Joel Campbell celebrates with the match ball after scoring against Uruguay during their match at the Castelao stadium. Gustavo AndradeâAFP/Getty Images; Dominic EbenbichlerâReuters Left: Patients at the Asuncion Psychiatric Hospital watch the first match of the World Cup between Brazil and Croatia, in Asuncion, Paraguay. Right: Nuns from the enclosed monastery of Imaculada Conceicao celebrate Brazil's victory as they watch on television. Jorge SaenzâAP; Nacho DoceâReuters Left: Brazil's Neymar stands during the 2014 World Cup Group A soccer match between Brazil and Mexico at the Right: Ivory Coast's Geoffroy Serey Die is seen from the back during their 2014 World Cup Group C soccer match against Japan. Marcelo del PozoâReuters; Brian SnyderâReuters; Left: Portugal fans pose prior to the Group G match between Germany and Portugal at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador, Brazil. Right: Brazil fans pose prior to the game between Brazil vs Germanyin Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Odd AndersenâAFP/Getty Images; Nilton FukudaâDPA/ZUMA Wire Left: Brazil's forward Neymar reacts after missing a goal opportunity during a match between Brazil and Mexico in the Castelao Stadium. Right: England's goalkeeper Joe Hart rolls inside the goalpost during their 2014 World Cup Group D soccer match at the Amazonia arena Francois Xavier MaritâAFP/Getty Images; Francois MaritâReuters Left: A Japan fan looks on before the 2014 World Cup Group C soccer match against Colombia at the Pantanal arena Right: A fan of Argentina waits for the start of their 2014 World Cup match against Bosnia at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Jorge SilvaâReuters;Pilar OlivaresâReuters Left: A life-size image of a woman promoting a shop stands in the street where children play soccer in the Pelourinho neighborhood of Salvador, Brazil. Right: Local Indian footballers carry cutout portraits of Brazilian soccer player Neymar and Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi to a local football club in Kolkata, India Rodrigo AbdâAP; Dibyangshu SarkarâAFP/Getty Images Left: Argentina soccer fans hold miniature Lionel Messi dolls while watching a telecast of the World Cup match between Argentina and Nigeria in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Right: A Colombian fan holds a toy figurine of Colombia's national soccer player Falcao as they watch a broadcast of the World Cup in Bogota, Columbia. Nabor GoulartâAP; John VizcainoâReuters Left: Lionel Messi of Argentina controls the ball during the match between Argentina and Switzerland at Arena de Sao Paulo. Right: Colombia's James Rodriguez scores a goal during the match against Uruguay e at the Maracana stadium. Matthias HangstâGetty Images; Felipe DanaâReuters Left: Argentina fans pose before a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium in Brasilia, Brazil. Right: A man wearing a horse mask, stands in the middle of Argentine fans celebrating their team's victory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Liu DaweiâXinhua; Leo CorreaâAP Left: A Mexico soccer fan cries after her team was defeated by the Netherlands inside the FIFA Fan Fest area in Rio de Janeiro. Right: A U.S. soccer fan watches his team's World Cup match against Belgium on a live telecast inside the FIFA Fan Fest area in Rio de Janeiro. Leo CorreaâAP (2) Left: A fan dressed as Captain America looks on after Belgium's 2-1 victory in extra time during World Cup match between Belgium and the US. Right: A Brazil fan wearing a mask depicting Neymar sits in the stands at the end of the World Cup semi-final match between Brazil and Germany at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Laurence GriffithsâGetty Images; Leonhard FoegerâReuters Left: A donkey wears the colors of Brazil as it stands on a beach of Cumbucu, Brazil. Right: A dog wearing Brazilian soccer team colors walks on the Minhocao, a 2.2-mile stretch of highway, in Sao Paulo. Aris MessiniâAFP/Getty Images; Zackary CanepariâThe New York Times Left: Match highlights are screened after the 2014 World Cup match between Spain and Chile in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Right: The final score is projected on a screen after the 2014 World Cup semi-finals between Germany and Brazil in Belo Horizonte, Brazil Ricardo MoraesâReuters; Damir SagoljâReuters Left: Germany's Thomas Muller celebrates a goal during a semifinal match between Brazil and Germany. Right: Argentina's Javier Mascherano and Lionel Messi celebrate after winning their FIFA World Cup semi-final match against the Netherlands. Li GaâXinhua; Fabrice CoffriniâAFP/Getty Images
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