After having the pleasure of watching Barcelona brush aside Manchester United last night in the Champions League final, I had my attention drawn to the logo that adorns Barcelona shirts: UNICEF. But why would a UN agency provide financial support to any particular football club in any particular member country, I asked.

I was told that, as most people probably knew already, UNICEF does NOT support Barcelona. Barcelona supports UNICEF. They have committed to give the agency millions of euros in a five-year programme of support, as part of their commitment to put something back into the world.

Absolutely everyone I know who takes an interest in football believes that money and commercialism is doing its best to destroy a fine sport. Man U, with its colossal merchandising business and international tv rights, is already the richest club in the world, meaning it can buy the best players, win more matches, and become richer. Right now it is looking for some company with more money than sense (AIG is, or was, their current sponsor!) to whom they can sell the valuable advertising space on the front of players' shirts.

How long can the insane Barcelona mentality survive in the cash-fest that is football? (OK, Americans, here's the translation: football = "soccer" LOL)