All of us are the national team: football defining identities and nationalisms in Ecuador and Latin America

Abstract

Since long ago, Latin America have been suffering a loss o f references, in matters o f what has been usually called the nation-state, and with this, identities, nationalism among others. This problem has been studied by many people, and among the causes o f it we can mention: corruption, poverty and the lack, o f a government understood as such among m any others. The nation seems to be losing referential points and elements to be called so, and what is worse, it seems like there is no commitment, not at least in short term, to create common policies o f national scope, to gather the people under one national speech. These problems among others such as populism, and a useless political class, have driven us to question ourselves, and our identities: Who are we?, W hat are we?, And what can define us as Latin Americans, or members o f any other country?, Where does our identity lie? and on which bases it is, or it has to be constructed upon? and using what means?. M ost o f these questions have been not answered, but nowadays, football, the most popular sport in the region, has provided many lights. It seems like this sport, more than any other thing, has become nowadays in Latin America the only space were the nationalistic epic can be created, and more than that, seems to be the only turf in which all the...