Racism in Soccer: A Critique of “Gooooal! Kick Racism Off the Soccer Pitch”

In the 2020 Arak journal article titled “Gooooal! Kick Racism Off the

Soccer Pitch,” author Carl Stewart brings awareness to the issue of racism in professional soccer, arguing that it is a major problem in the sport that causes numerous other underlying issues. He asserts that many negative outcomes result from racism at soccer matches including fan disputes, player arguments, and team disagreements. Stewart works to skillfully craft his argument, relying heavily on the use of statistics, data, and emotions of the reader to create an engaging article. His writing, however, is lacking in terms of his credibility and his connection to the information that he presents, which may cause some to question his reliability on the issue of racism in professional soccer.

Through the article, his use of statistics and data through logos provides readers with the necessary background information to understand the topic while his ability to affect the emotions of the reader through pathos causes readers to sympathize with the soccer players discussed in the article. To demonstrate the severity of the effects of racist fans, Stewart informs us that with “4.2 million youth players in America and 265 million worldwide,” racism deters young fans and families from the sport decreasing overall engagement (Stewart 23). This information provides readers with statistical evidence that soccer is of major popularity and pathos causes readers to sympathize with fans who are deterred from the sport by inappropriate fans. A combination of the use of logos and pathos help to drive readers to agree with Stewart’s argument. In comparison, his use of ethos is minimal and is somewhat of a weak point in his article since he does not develop credibility very well. However, all in all, the combination of all three rhetorical appeals work together to create a relatively good argument.