（2022-12-28）本屆卡達世界盃出現許多令人津津樂道的黑馬崛起，為母國不僅帶來賽事上的榮耀，其國際宣傳效果價值更是難以估計。論全球關注程度，足球遠勝過籃球、棒球；其國際效應更不可輕忽，台灣不應荒廢足球發展。
（2022-12-28）本屆卡達世界盃出現許多令人津津樂道的黑馬崛起、以弱勝強賽事，包括日本隊於小組賽先後力克兩大歐洲足球強國德國、西班牙，沙烏地阿拉伯於小組賽打敗擁有超級球星梅西的阿根廷，以及摩洛哥一路過關斬將成為首個進入四強的非洲國家，這些勝利都獲得全球關注，為母國不僅帶來賽事上的榮耀，其國際宣傳效果價值更是難以估計。
台灣受美國影響，主要運動賽事是棒球與籃球，儘管台灣也深受日本影響，但相對於日本有足球聯盟，台灣足球風氣卻一直有如荒漠。
若是純粹論國民的運動與健康，每種球都一樣好，不過台灣還需要在國際上爭取關注與支持，發展的運動項目就必須思考宣傳與經濟效益。若論全球關注程度，足球遠遠勝過籃球、棒球，全世界運動產業足球約佔四十三％，其次為美式足球十四％，籃球僅為第三，佔六％。
台灣在國際戰略上，實在應該積極發展足球，但許多人對此往往提出失敗主義論點，不論是人口、財力，或是說社會風氣問題。但這些都不成藉口。
台灣二三○○萬人口，與摩洛哥三七○○萬人口，屬於同一量級；世界盃上屆亞軍克羅埃西亞，人口僅不到四百萬人；南美傳統足球強國之一的烏拉圭，人口僅約三五○萬人；在本屆世界盃會外賽擊敗傳統足球強權義大利，使得義大利竟然無法出賽世界盃的北馬其頓，人口更僅約二百萬人。
若論財力，台灣的人均GDP是摩洛哥十倍以上，是克羅埃西亞二倍左右，更別說克羅埃西亞一九九五年才打完獨立戰爭，克羅埃西亞國家隊支柱莫德里奇，正是在獨立戰爭時期長大，台灣社會條件再差，也不會比戰亂國家更糟。許多貧困出身知名球星，小時候常常沒有任何設備就踢球自娛，足球其實是財力門檻最低的運動之一。
若談風氣，的確，台灣小朋友普遍不踢球，但如果只論國家隊的發展，摩洛哥雖有踢足球風氣，但此次主要仰賴在外國出生長大球員，與本國風氣並無絕對關係。更別說，社會風氣也可積極塑造。
此次世界盃沙國戰勝阿根廷，大為提升沙國在阿拉伯國家中的聲望，摩洛哥一路挺進，更使摩洛哥成為伊斯蘭、阿拉伯、非洲三個概念的總體精神領袖，足球的國際效應之大不可輕忽，台灣實在不應荒廢足球發展。只要有計畫的長遠規劃，足球風氣一定能發展，國家隊一定能成功，只是不為也，非不能也。
Absent from the World Cup, Taiwan Should Start from the Basics
by／Tommy Lin
The author is the chairman of FRA Taiwan and a PhD in medicine.
In the Qatar World Cup, there were a lot of dark horses as they leveraged over the stronger teams to win the games. They were talked about vigorously. For example, Japan beat the two European football superpowers- Germany and Spain. Argentina, even with Superstar Messi on the team, was defeated by Saudi Arabia. Morocco became the first African team to enter the semi-finals. These victories caught the world’s attention, bringing glory for their motherland and unmeasurable international promotion value.
Influenced by the U.S., Taiwan’s major sports events are baseball and basketball. Although Taiwan is also deeply influenced by Japan, Taiwan’s football is trapped in a desert-like environment compared to Japan as it has its own professional football league.
If we simply discuss about national sports and health, all kinds of ball games are as good. But Taiwan still needs to strive for international attention and support, we must think about developing sports in terms of promotional and economical effects. Talking of global attention, football wins basketball and baseball by a mile. Football occupies 43 percent of the global sports industry. The second is American football, which shared 14 percent. Basketball only came in third with 6 percent of the market.
From the view of international strategy, Taiwan should actively develop the football sport. Still many people often mentioned defeatism saying that population, funding, or social atmosphere are the problems. But none of those are excuses.
Taiwan’s population is 23 million. We are in the same weight class as Morocco with a 37 million population. Former World Cup runner-up Croatia only has less than 4 million people. Traditional South American football superpower Uruguay only has about 3.5 million citizens. North Macedonia, defeating long-lasting mighty team Italy in the World Cup Qualification and preventing it from the World Cup, has only 2 million people.
In the perspective of financial resources, Taiwan’s GDP is ten times more than Morocco’s, two times as Croatia’s. Not to mention Croatia only ended its independence war in 1995; Luka Modric, the pillar of the Croatia National Team, grew up during the war period. No matter how bad Taiwan’s social conditions are, they cannot be worse than a war country. Many football stars who came from a humble background often played ball to entertain themselves without any facilities. Football is really one of the sports with lowest financial barriers.
In terms of social atmosphere, it is indeed that children in Taiwan mostly do not play football. But if we only focus on the development of the national team, Morocco depended mainly on players born overseas and the players do not necessarily have ties with social atmosphere though Morocco does have a love for football countrywide. Nevertheless, social atmosphere can be proactively created.
Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina in this World Cup and gained more reputation among Arabic countries. Morocco kept on winning and became the overall spiritual leader of the Islam, Arabia, and Africa conceptually. We can never ignore the scale of the global impact brought by football. Taiwan should never give up the development of football. If we have a long-term plan, we will surely create a football wave and our national team will surely succeed. It is not that we cannot do it, it is that we are not willing to do it.
延伸閱讀
足運 國運
透過足球改變台灣 改變世界
Change Taiwan, and the world,through football
發揚台灣的「奉獻力」
福和會 2022勞動力國是論壇
福和會成立 以基督信仰為根基
福和會呼籲：展示決心 保衛家園
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