Credit: CBS Sports
CBSSoccerBy Sean Keeley on

Talking about soccer for a living can be a daunting professional choice.

Along with the intensity of the rivalries on the pitch, there are so many factors to consider, from dealing with the geopolitical ramifications of World Cup destinations and the history that exists between certain nations going head-to-head at any given time.

All the more important for those who discuss soccer professionally to be aware of the bigger pictures surrounding certain teams and nations, which is a lesson that CBS Sports Golazo’s Alexis Guerreros was likely reminded of on Friday.

During Friday’s episode of Morning Footy, the discussion turned to Iraq’s historic 2-1 win over Japan in the Asian Cup to qualify for the knockout stage. That meant Japan had finished second in Group D, which would put them into the knockout stage against the winner of Group E. Depending on how things shake out next week, that could mean they’ll be going head-to-head against South Korea.

That piece of information prompted Guerreros to ask “Is that a rivalry?” After Charlie Davies responded by saying “They’re the two favorites,” Guerreros asked, “Sure, but I mean, culturally?”

“I mean, in Asian football, yes,” added Davies, perhaps not understanding what Guerreros was getting at. “They’re the two best teams.”

“They are very good, I get that, but I mean, culturally, is it a rivalry?” asked Guerreros once more.

“Culturally” having a “rivalry” is certainly one way to describe the relationship between Japan and South Korea.

While there has been tension between the two nations for centuries, after Japan colonized Korea in the early 20th century, tens of thousands of Korean men were forced into military service while many Korean women were forced to become “comfort women” for the Japanese Army. Following their independence, South Korea refused diplomatic and trade relations with Japan for decades. While those were eventually established, tension between the two nations has remained high thanks to Japanese politicians’ visits to a shrine that honored Japanese soldiers, some of whom participated in war crimes in Korea, as well as general resentment in Korea over Japan’s perceived lack of appropriate remorse over what happened during their occupation. And there are myriad other reasons that relations between the two nations remain icy.

So, yes, culturally, it is indeed a “rivalry.”

The video of the exchange was shared on X and was met with some pretty harsh pushback, not just because it showcased a lack of knowledge about Asian soccer but also an extreme lack of knowledge across the entire studio about the history of the two nations. There was also a lot of negative feedback over the panel’s lack of knowledge about Iraq’s recent soccer history as well. Altogether, the lack of knowledge seemed to reflect a perceived lack of respect for Asian soccer in general and the AFC Asian Cup.

Likely realizing the insensitivity of the comments and the general lack of awareness by the CBS Sports Golazo studio, the clip was removed from X and other social channels. A clip of the discussion on the CBS Sports website does not include the discussion around Japan and South Korea and instead picks up later on despite Iraq’s upset of Japan being noted in the headline. While Awful Announcing was unable to independently verify it, several X users said that the clip was removed from Paramount+.

While it’s understandable that CBS Sports would not want that conversation to be shared, it’s unfortunate that it’s apparently not being used as an opportunity to showcase remorse and offer an opportunity for growth and education. If nothing else, all eyes will be on the show next week when the topic comes up again. We’ll see if there’s a little more cultural awareness next time around.

[Dan Orlowitz, CBS Sports Golazo]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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