Football means different things to different people. Views of football range from it being a mindless pass-time of the proletariat to a form of art; but, as Helena said in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, “Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind.”

I admit it’s possible that Shakespeare didn’t have football in mind when he wrote that but the sentiment is applicable nonetheless. When people look at football they see what their experiences or preconceptions, right or wrong, tell them to see. It’s hard to judge the sport at face value when it contains so many facets, each important to different people.

In the midst of the European Championships, with quite frankly brilliant football, it seems a shame that so many other issues have found their way in to the sport. First there were the worries about racism, then the messages from heads of state around Europe claiming they would not be attending the competition in protest of Yulia Tymoshenko’s imprisonment, then Nicklas Bendtner’s underpants and then the Euro zone crisis subplot to the Germany vs. Greece game, which so many people were happy to drag in to the mix.

Racism is clearly a problem that needs to be stamped out, and Nicklas Bendtner’s ambush marketing clearly broke rules but it is sad that these issues were raised at all. Clearly some cretinous fans feel as though football is nothing more than a vehicle to pedal their outdated and immoral views. Clearly the self-proclaimed ‘best forward in the world’ thinks that playing for his national team is irrelevant enough to besmirch his country’s kit with advertising and clearly for certain factions of football’s governing bodies the idea of being the sole gatekeepers to advertising is so important that they punish such wrongdoings harsher than the racists.

Football isn’t about hate, football isn’t about money and it isn’t about making political statements. For me, the most embarrassing moment of football in recent times was the picture of David Cameron and Angela Merkel watching the Champions League final together. Cameron had his arms raised in a triumphant celebration as Chelsea ran out eventual winners of Bayern Munich.

Maybe Cameron supports Chelsea, fine, but the idea of him hijacking a club’s success and attempting to somehow claim a personal victory in front of the German Chancellor was just incredibly annoying.

Admittedly, the commercialisation of football has taken it to new heights in terms of the developments in infrastructure and the investment in the sport. However, these bonuses are worthless if football forgets where it has come from. So, when I’m asked: ‘what matters most in football’ it’s having some stranger spill his pint all over you in a pub as you both jump around maniacally after a last minute goal or going to your team’s stadium on a European night and enjoying the variety and enthusiasm that continental supporters bring to a game; it’s walking around your local area and seeing the flags and shirts adorning shop windows and the sense of community that in modern day society is hard to find outside of sport. Football is all these things, and more; but, like I said, football means something different to everyone. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

So what matters most to you in football?

It’s a simple question isn’t it, but there are so many ways of interpreting it, and any number of ways of answering it. Samsung have asked football fans ‘what matters most’ to them. I have added my thoughts to the process and I suggest you do the same by clicking here to be in with a chance to win a whole host of goodies, including a Samsung Smart TV ES8000 55”. Why not join the debate...

Click here to let Samsung know what matters most to you in football...

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