My first time … FIFA Museum

My football career began and ended when I was an eleven-year-old boy. After scoring two own goals (yes, two) in my first and last match, I hung up my boots. Since then, I’ve seen myself as a football philistine who, at most, triumphantly raises a beer in the air during a World Cup when a goal is scored. Will the FIFA Museum manage to make me cheer all the same?

Even though I couldn’t care less about football, I can’t deny its appeal. All over the world, the beautiful game stirs up the most intense emotions. When the ball hits the back of the net, hundreds of thousands of people in the stadium go wild. If the team wins a final, the winning nation is in a state of euphoria. Football brings tears to the eyes, faces flushed red with anger, and emotional hugs with complete strangers. It is precisely these emotions I hope to find at the FIFA Museum – and should I not, I am curious to see what the Fédération Internationale de Football Association actually intends to show me in its museum.

Warm-up phase

Since 2016, the museum has been located right on Tessinerplatz in the Enge district. The first surprise awaits me at the ticket office. Admission to the football halls costs a hefty 24 francs – a strikingly high price. The Kunsthaus, the National Museum and the Museum of Design are all cheaper; only the zoo is a cultural institution that charges a higher price. Oh well, never mind – I’m here so that football can inspire me! And I am greeted with effusive enthusiasm right at the entrance. A massive mega-screen shows scenes from the footballing Olympus. Footballers are projected like gods onto every conceivable wall. In the centre, the shirts of the 211 member associations are displayed in neat rows. A spectacular start to the match! We continue one floor down, spurred on by audio recordings straight from the pitch: “Pass it! Pass! Goal! Hurray!”

First half

Once downstairs, the interior glitters and sparkles. Here, the history of the football organisation shines forth. Like in a shrine, relics from the organisation’s founding history are on display. Incidentally, the club was founded in Paris in 1904. Minutes books and newspaper articles commemorate this historic event. Along curved walls, the exhibition continues through 117 years of football, showcasing numerous treasures from countless World Cup matches.

Here, visitors can get hands-on for the first time. The museum is extremely playful and offers numerous interactive exhibits. You can feel the boots, touch the footballs, try your hand at being a football commentator, or even re-enact difficult refereeing decisions in a quiz. I must admit, the museum is very well thought out and offers many opportunities to explore the sport of football. On this Tuesday afternoon, however, I am almost entirely alone on my journey of discovery through the world of football – perhaps it is busier on other days.  The cinema, which shows clips from various finals and is intended to be an emotional highlight, is empty, for example. And I don’t like cheering on my own …