“Where the costs of entry are minimal, there is a wide avenue of opportunity for those with little or nothing, which is why football is just about the most democratic sport of all: African and Brazilian footballers compete on a level playing field with their rich white European counterparts.”

British academic, journalist, political commentator and writer

Martin Jacques is a British academic, journalist, political commentator and writer. He first came to prominence as editor of Marxism Today, which he led from 1977 to 1991, turning it into an influential place for debate on the British left. He later co-founded the think tank Demos in 1993 and wrote regularly as a columnist for major British newspapers, including The Times, The Sunday Times, The Independent, The Observer, The Guardian and the New Statesman. He is also known for his 2009 book When China Rules the World, which argues that China’s rise will reshape the global order and end Western dominance in international affairs.