"U.N. and FIFA have been riddled by corruption scandals and dysfunctional governance." Consider the recent and slowly unfolding crimes, convictions of people in high-places and lawmakers (Congress) 'earmarks' and Whitehouse links with Jack Abramoff. (This is just one of many webs that came unglued - thanks to our often responsible media)

Naim is right-on-the-button: In this sense, they both (UN and FIFA - readers can add the third - public arena, and the fourth the corporate greed....), they all mirror their constituency.

Just plain wrong. Presumably written by yet another American who knows nothing about football. There isn't a club side in the World that could live with the four or five best international teams. Team America is another matter altogether.

The parallel that you draw between FIFA and the UN as being dysfunctional, inefficient and corrupt has been the staple of the US Government in the form of every single ambassador for some time.

Certainly, globalisation has allowed all the best European football clubs to have the world as their recruiting grounds. This is the proof that the globalisation you prone only works one way, just like you want it.

A closer parallel can be drawn between US grain subsidies and the inefficiencies, trickeries, coaxing, cajoling, menacing attitude and feudalism of the permanent Security Council.

By the way the whole planet (6.5 billion) loves Football. Soccer is a four-letter word.