In (proper) football, people will say “that’s class.” What do they mean? Well, it is used to say that something has been done well, but not just through hard work and grit, but there is a level of technique and sophistication to it.
The way Lukasz Podolski put home his goal against Croatia is “class” because he doesn’t just slam a loose ball into the net, he is perfectly balanced on his turn and he places the ball with the exact power and location of his choice because of how well he understood where to stand and how to turn.
But people can also be “class” in terms of sportsmanship. In this regard, “class” refers to the technique an understanding of a respect for the game, teammates and opponents. Again, when Lukasz Podolski scores that goal against Croatia, his team is losing 2-1 in the second half and he does not celebrate for even a second. He goes and gets the ball puts it on the midfield line, and restarts the game, not wasting a second celebrating a goal that’s meaningless without a result. It is also “class” when Podolski, playing against the country of his birth, Poland, does not celebrate his goals against them either. In sum, I love Lukasz Podolski.
To not do such things however is not to be seen as vulgar. It is no insult to celebrate a goal against one’s opponents, and it is hardly difficult to see not getting so overjoyed in the moment as to not want to celebrate. Just as, in the first case of “class”, Turkey’s comeback goal yesterday could be seen more as determination than “class,” but that in no way diminishes the quality of the goal or its importance.
One does things that are “class,” one cannot be ”class.” “Class” is not nullified by performances on other occasions that are not class. One does not have to be “class” all the time to have anything they do be “class.” The most extreme version of this would Bastian Schweinsteiger’s red card against Croatia. It was not “class” to go back and shove the guy who took out his legs. It was “class,” upon receiving the red card, to go over to the play, apologize and shake hands, apologize to the match official, and take full responsibility for his actions. In WC ‘06, it was not “class” by Daniella De Rossi to cut open Brian McBride’s head, but it was class to wait outside the United States locker room to personally apologize for the incident. It was also “class” by Brian McBride to accept the apology with the casual grace that he did.
In short, “class” is the acute awareness of what the situation calls for in the very best way that it can be handled and the execution of that very best way. Whether it is moving the ball as a team (like the passing that set up the Sneijder goal against Italy), noting the special character of your opponents players after they have gutted your dreams with a last second goal (well played, Slavan Billic), or doing the right thing after you have just done the wrong thing, “class” is doing the best when simply doing something good, or doing something understandable, would have gotten you through with no complaints.
