Free The Football · Yellow Fever Nga Wana Kowhai · Supporters of the Wellington Phoenix

Football is not oil riches Football is not corrupt officials Football is not profit margins

Remember, as a child, the first time you saw the beautiful game played. There was something in that moment, that instantly got you hooked, that set your destiny to love this game for the rest of your life. A dribble past a defender. The ball curling into the back of the net. A defence splitting pass that is timed perfectly. A diving keeper at full stretch just getting his fingertips to the ball to defend his goal. A flash of brilliance that takes your breath away. A diving header. A crunching tackle that you feel even when meagrely observing. The moment of unknown just before a penalty is kicked. The incredible joy of winning. The utter devastation of losing. The comradery of the teammates, working together, playing for each other, aiming to put that ball in the back of the net more times than the other team because for those 90 minutes that is all that matters. The passion of the fans. You can never forget the passion of the fans. Who will chant and cheer and jump and celebrate and cry and dream and want that win just as much as the players on the field. That is football. That is the game we love.

But at some point it seems that this was forgotten. It seems like today its all about the wealth of a team's owner. Bribing officials. Grow a club's "brand" internationally. We need to free the football. Free it from being meagrely a business. Free it from corruption. Free it of everything ruining the beautiful game. We need to make the world remember again what football really is. On the 7th of August 2011 all football fans will come together and do one simple thing. We will play the game we love. Not for money. Not for fame. Not for a sponsor. Not for a brand. We will play it for the love. For the passion. For the goal of showing the world what football really is. We will free the football. The rules don't need to be perfect. You don't need 11 vs 11. You don't need proper goal posts, jackets will do. You can play in a park. On a beach. In the streets. All you need is a ball and some friends. Or strangers. And the passion for the game. Together we will start a movement. Together we will get the world's attention. Together we will free the football.

http://freethefootball.com/