Crazy protest in Germany playing naked football, that's why

In Germany, on Sunday, two teams in Oer-Erkenschwick, North Ringie-Westpholia, played a completely naked match, as part of a money-run anti-Soccer protest. The challenge was organised by artist Gerrit Starczewski in “Stimberg-stadion”, at the northern end of the Ruhr industrial zone.

The football system is sick, that's why we all played naked, says 34-year-old ideal. Everyone wants to be authentic. But, I think you're especially authentic only if you can give up everything else, really from everything, even from” clothes, it was Starczewski's words for the magazine “11 Freunde”, before the match.

Players wore only soccer shoes and socks. Only the colors of the ghettos helped distinguish the two teams' players. Moreover, players ' numbers were hand painted on their backs, directly on their skin.

Starczewski's criticism hit the heart of what many see as a problem: the growing commercialisation of world football. The gesture comes just weeks after Swiss prosecutors launched criminal investigations against FIFA's chief, accusing him of corruption “agresive, systemic and deep-rooted”.

The artist also wanted to draw the attention of the football surface. Under my nudo events, I want to give an example of diversity and naturality, against the dependence and influence of social media and false ideals of beauty, he added. The trueness of the body is something lacking in modern football and reflected in the way sports sell a certain type of body image. Even there everything has to be perfect, but, after all, it's all about marketing”.