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The cosmopolitan tradition is rooted in the very history of soccer. At the end of the nineteenth century the game’s appeal came directly from its simplicity and its universalism; soccer became then a symbol of modernity and was directly linked to the free-market ideology. However, together with this internationalist trend, in many countries soccer also became the ideal expression of nationalist feelings. By distinguishing between the clubs’ economic interests and the autonomy of national teams, it is possible to combine two antithetic models; the great corporations following the dictates of the market and national teams relatively independent from economic concerns. It is thanks to this dualism that the passion for football games, which are a mixture of the essential and the derisory, survives all around the world.