Politics and football

Anyone watching the Germany-Italy game was treated ere the kick-off to two declarations of faith, one by each captain, on the subject of respect and diversity. Only the auto-da-fe - perhaps publicly embarrassing someone who tweeted about "fags" when drunk or a foolhardy consumer facebooking  "the paki at the corner shop ripped me off again!" - is still missing from the melding of football and politico-religion.