Accessibility helpSkip to navigationSkip to contentSkip to footer

Cookies on FT Sites

We use cookies and other data for a number of reasons, such as keeping FT Sites reliable and secure, personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to analyse how our Sites are used.

Accept cookies
Manage cookies
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
Open side navigation menuOpen search bar
Financial Times
SubscribeSign InmyFT
  • Home
  • World
    Sections
    • World Home
    • Global Economy
    • UK
    • US
    • China
    • Africa
    • Asia Pacific
    • Emerging Markets
    • Europe
    • War in Ukraine
    • Americas
    • Middle East & North Africa
    • Australia & NZ
    Most Read
    • Lockheed Martin ready with F-16s as Ukraine’s allies revive debate over fighter jets
    • US economy beats expectations with 2.9% growth
    • Pakistan rupee plunges as authorities loosen controls to revive bailout
    • Transatlantic ‘growing pains’: how Olaf Scholz made Joe Biden shift on tanks for Ukraine
    • Kyiv rocked by explosions as Russian barrage targets cities across Ukraine
  • US
    Sections
    • US Home
    • US Economy
    • US Companies
    • US Politics & Policy
    Most Read
    • Companies
      Sections
      • Companies Home
      • Energy
      • Financials
      • Health
      • Industrials
      • Media
      • Professional Services
      • Retail & Consumer
      • Tech Sector
      • Telecoms
      • Transport
      Most Read
      • Morgan Stanley hits bankers with $1mn penalties for messaging breaches
      • Blackstone faces $5bn of withdrawal requests from more property funds
      • Rolls-Royce’s new chief warns company is a ‘burning platform’
      • EY Germany to axe hundreds of jobs in post-Wirecard cost-cutting push
      • UK equities no longer a ‘must own’ asset class, shareholder group warns
    • Tech
    • Markets
      Sections
      • Markets Home
      • Alphaville
      • Markets Data
      • Cryptofinance
      • Capital Markets
      • Commodities
      • Currencies
      • Equities
      • Fund Management
      • Trading
      • Moral Money
      • ETF Hub
      Most Read
      • Live news updates from January 26: LVMH posts record profits, US GDP growth slows
      • Franklin Templeton: an old-school stockpicker tries to reinvent itself
      • Pakistan rupee plunges as authorities loosen controls to revive bailout
      • What the poet, playboy and prophet of bubbles can still teach us
      • UK equities no longer a ‘must own’ asset class, shareholder group warns
    • Climate
    • Opinion
      Sections
      • Opinion Home
      • Columnists
      • The FT View
      • The Big Read
      • Lex
      • Obituaries
      • Letters
      Most Read
      • Will Leopard 2 tanks actually boost Ukraine’s battlefield chances?
      • Bye-bye massages and free food: Big Tech cuts back perks
      • Careless conservatism is killing Sunak’s effort to save his party
      • Europe cannot afford to engage in tit-for-tat with the US
      • Reasons for scepticism over Swedish rare earths find
    • Work & Careers
      Sections
      • Work & Careers Home
      • Business School Rankings
      • Business Education
      • Entrepreneurship
      • Recruitment
      • Business Books
      • Business Travel
      Most Read
      • What to do if you hate your job
      • RSK’s Alan Ryder on how to manage rapid expansion
    • Life & Arts
      Sections
      • Life & Arts Home
      • Arts
      • Books
      • Food & Drink
      • FT Magazine
      • House & Home
      • Style
      • Travel
      • FT Globetrotter
      Most Read
      • What the poet, playboy and prophet of bubbles can still teach us
      • What I learnt from talking to Google about chatbots
      • Why the world can benefit from contact theory
      • Super-luxe buys with the feelgood factor
      • Five stars for The Fabelmans — Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated memoir of his youth
    • HTSI
    MenuSearch
    • Home
    • World
    • US
    • Companies
    • Tech
    • Markets
    • Climate
    • Opinion
    • Work & Careers
    • Life & Arts
    • HTSI
    Financial Times
    SubscribeSign In

    Simon Kuper

    Life & Arts Columnist

    Simon Kuper joined the Financial Times in 1994. He wrote the daily currencies column, before leaving the FT in 1998. He returned in 2002 as a sports columnist and has been there ever since. Nowadays he writes a general column for the Weekend FT on all manner of topics from politics to books, and on cities including London, Paris, Johannesburg and Miami.

    Email Simon Kuper @KuperSimon  on Twitter (link opens in a new browser window)

    Add to myFT Digest

    Add this topic to your myFT Digest for news straight to your inbox

    • Thursday, 26 January, 2023
      FT MagazineLife & Arts
      Why the world can benefit from contact theory

      A fear of the ‘other’ can usually be cured by actual contact with them

    • Thursday, 19 January, 2023
      FT MagazineLife & Arts
      Yes, there’s a polycrisis. Could there be poly-innovation too?

      After 50 years of disappointment, technological breakthroughs might again start improving our lives

    • Thursday, 12 January, 2023
      FT MagazineLife & Arts
      How the right tore themselves apart

      Centre-right parties face a dilemma — stick with chaotic far-right partners or lose elections by themselves

    • Monday, 9 January, 2023
      OutlookAdvertising
      Fay Weldon’s death is a reminder of advertising’s golden age

      There’s a century-old tradition of creative writers honing their talent promoting brands

    • Thursday, 29 December, 2022
      ObituaryPelé
      Pelé, football star and global symbol of Brazil, 1940-2022

      One of history’s greatest players helped his country win three World Cups in 21-year career

    • Thursday, 22 December, 2022
      FT MagazineLife & Arts
      How professors’ children are shaping the world

      Zelenskyy, Macron and Sam Bankman-Fried are all academics’ kids on a global stage

    • Sunday, 18 December, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      Messi finds the fitting ending to cap Argentina’s long quest for glory

      Best player of possibly any era wins football’s biggest prize at his fifth attempt

    • Saturday, 17 December, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      Why Messi surpasses Maradona without needing World Cup victory

      Most of the game’s greats marry brilliance and persona, but Argentina’s talisman ruthlessly pursued individual records

    • Saturday, 17 December, 2022
      Person in the News
      Kylian Mbappé, star striker who yearns to leave his mark beyond football

      France’s most explosive player has been thrust into the sometimes chafing role of hero of the republic

    • Thursday, 15 December, 2022
      FT MagazineFIFA World Cup
      Grant Wahl, the pioneering journalist who got it right on Qatar

      The US soccer reporter managed to watch both what was happening on the field and off

    • Wednesday, 14 December, 2022
      FIFA World Cup
      Reinvention of Antoine Griezmann transforms France’s World Cup challenge

      The striker who won man of the match in the 2018 final relishes his new role as a midfield playmaker

    • Monday, 12 December, 2022
      FIFA World Cup
      Luka Modrić: the maestro driving Croatia into a second World Cup semi-final

      Unlike middle-aged rivals Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the midfielder is willing to run all over the pitch for his team

    • Sunday, 11 December, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      France through to World Cup semi-final after missed England penalty

      Reigning champions face Morocco while Gareth Southgate’s team depart with ‘fewer regrets’ after epic encounter

    • Friday, 9 December, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      World Cup: Kylian Mbappé surges forward in reshuffling of football’s hierarchies

      As France prepare to take on England, striker has learnt to erase past achievements and focus on the next challenge

    • Thursday, 8 December, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      Dutch ditch tradition as winning trumps beauty in bid for World Cup glory

      Louis van Gaal pivots to more modest approach after realising modern football ‘is no longer an open game’  

    • Thursday, 8 December, 2022
      FT MagazineFIFA World Cup
      Qatar’s World Cup is a festival of cosmopolitanism — not nationalism

      Actually being in Doha is to watch civilisations come together

    • Wednesday, 7 December, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      World Cup: rivals aim to find out if Brazil have exploitable weaknesses

      The ‘Seleção’ have sauntered through the early stages but are wary of a stern test of their abilities

    • Monday, 5 December, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      Morocco blur borders and win Arab hearts with World Cup campaign

      Mission to woo talents from north African country’s large European diaspora has paid off

    • Sunday, 4 December, 2022
      FIFA World Cup
      Ruthless England get job done against Senegal

      Tougher challenge against France awaits in World Cup quarter-final

    • Saturday, 3 December, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      How to emerge a hero from the tension of a World Cup penalty shootout

      Specialist and novice takers as well as ‘killer’ keepers can play a big role in who wins the trophy

    • Thursday, 1 December, 2022
      FIFA World Cup
      World Cup: Ghana-Uruguay grudge match shows attraction of the villain

      West African nation out for revenge after last-minute Luis Suárez handball denied it a semi-final berth in 2010

    • Wednesday, 30 November, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      World Cup: Germany’s reputation as a ‘tournament team’ put to the test

      Fans pin their hopes on old-style striker Niclas Füllkrug to keep them in the competition

    • Tuesday, 29 November, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      Argentina put faith in Lionel Messi’s ‘tranquilo’ brand of football

      Star man wants teammates to control possession as two-time winners seek place in knockout stages

    • Monday, 28 November, 2022
      FIFA World Cup
      Southgate must pass Wales derby test and plot England’s path to glory

      Manager could write a PhD on how teams win World Cups — and shining in games doesn’t come into it

    • Sunday, 27 November, 2022
      News in-depthFIFA World Cup
      World Cup heralds final whistle for football greats

      Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suárez must soon be told their time is up

    Previous page You are on page 1 Next page

    Be part of FT Community

    Discover unmissable flagship events and members only communities to expand your thinking and elevate your career

    FT LiveBusiness of Football SummitNew Money and the Battle for Growth
    Wednesday, 1st MarchLondon, UK & Online
    Learn more about FT Community

    Useful links

    Support

    View Site TipsHelp CentreContact UsAbout UsAccessibilitymyFT TourCareers

    Legal & Privacy

    Terms & ConditionsPrivacy PolicyCookiesCopyrightSlavery Statement & Policies

    Services

    Share News Tips SecurelyIndividual SubscriptionsGroup SubscriptionsRepublishingExecutive Job SearchAdvertise with the FTFollow the FT on TwitterFT ChannelsSecondary Schools

    Tools

    PortfolioToday's Newspaper (ePaper)Alerts HubBusiness School RankingsEnterprise ToolsNews feedNewslettersCurrency Converter

    Community & Events

    FT CommunityFT Live EventsFT ForumsFT Board DirectorBoard Director Programme

    More from the FT Group

    Markets data delayed by at least 15 minutes. © THE FINANCIAL TIMES LTD 2023. FT and ‘Financial Times’ are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.
    The Financial Times and its journalism are subject to a self-regulation regime under the FT Editorial Code of Practice.
    Financial Times

    International Edition

    Subscribe for full access
    • Switch to UK Edition
    • Top sections
    • Home
    • World
      • Global Economy
      • UK
      • US
      • China
      • Africa
      • Asia Pacific
      • Emerging Markets
      • Europe
      • War in Ukraine
      • Americas
      • Middle East & North Africa
      • Australia & NZ
    • US
      • US Economy
      • US Companies
      • US Politics & Policy
    • Companies
      • Energy
      • Financials
      • Health
      • Industrials
      • Media
      • Professional Services
      • Retail & Consumer
      • Tech Sector
      • Telecoms
      • Transport
    • Tech
    • Markets
      • Alphaville
      • Markets Data
      • Cryptofinance
      • Capital Markets
      • Commodities
      • Currencies
      • Equities
      • Fund Management
      • Trading
      • Moral Money
      • ETF Hub
    • Climate
    • Opinion
      • Columnists
      • The FT View
      • The Big Read
      • Lex
      • Obituaries
      • Letters
    • Work & Careers
      • Business School Rankings
      • Business Education
      • Entrepreneurship
      • Recruitment
      • Business Books
      • Business Travel
    • Life & Arts
      • Arts
      • Books
      • Food & Drink
      • FT Magazine
      • House & Home
      • Style
      • Travel
      • FT Globetrotter
    • Personal Finance
      • Property & Mortgages
      • Investments
      • Pensions
      • Tax
      • Banking & Savings
      • Advice & Comment
      • Next Act
    • HTSI
    • Special Reports
    • FT recommends
    • Lex
    • Alphaville
    • Lunch with the FT
    • FT Globetrotter
    • #techAsia
    • Moral Money
    • FTfm
    • Newsletters
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • News feed
    • FT Live Events
    • FT Forums
    • Board Director Programme
    • myFT
    • Portfolio
    • Today's Newspaper (ePaper)
    • Crossword
    • Our Apps
    • Help Centre
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In