Football, of course, attracts its fair share of idiots. Large crowds have always been good recruiting grounds for extremists. But racism, nationalism and hooliganism, the three scourges of the modern game, are not unique to football; they are issues for society as a whole. Football alerts us to these problems, but it doesn’t create them.

In fact, the game plays a constructive role in helping to expose and tackle social problems. When, for instance, Spanish fans disgraced themselves by singing racist chants at the recent match against England, Spain suddenly found itself with some serious explaining to do.

And far from being a breeding ground for all of society’s ills, I would argue that the culture of the football fan honours a strong moral tradition, embracing such noble and old-fashioned virtues as integrity, honesty and unity.

Football supporters display immense loyalty to their club, its history and traditions. Players may grab all the headlines, but they are ephemeral and contribute little to the soul of a club. Of course, great players are always remembered with fondness, even reverence, but this is a team game where collective effort means more than individual performance. Talent counts for little if a player doesn’t wear his club shirt with pride. All the fans ask is that the players' passion on the pitch is equal to their passion in the stands. It’s an entirely reasonable request, though one that too many of today’s overpaid stars often seem to forget.

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