The Kid and The Cabbie discuss Luís Figo’s campaign to become FIFA president, including a manifesto that could transform the World Cup.
Figo’s proposal to expand the tournament immediately catches the attention of one of The Kid’s teammates. For a player hoping to represent Wales on football’s biggest stage, more places could make a considerable difference.
Luís Figo Enters the FIFA Presidential Race
The Kid has seen that The Lion King has released his manifesto as part of his campaign to become FIFA president.
In this strip, The Lion King refers to former Portugal international Luís Figo, one of the most celebrated players of his generation.
After a career that included spells with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, Figo entered the race to lead world football’s governing body in 2015.
His campaign promised change, including several proposals designed to alter the way international football was organised.
Backing from David Beckham
The Cabbie notes that David Beckham has publicly supported Figo’s campaign.
The two former players knew each other well after playing together as part of Real Madrid’s famous Galácticos era.
Beckham’s backing gave Figo’s campaign another recognisable football voice and reinforced the idea that former players should have a greater influence over the game’s administration.
For The Kid, it is another example of old teammates remaining connected long after their playing careers have taken different paths.
A Bigger World Cup
The proposal that attracts the most attention is Figo’s suggestion that the World Cup could be expanded beyond its established 32-team format.
His manifesto considered tournaments involving either 40 or 48 national teams, creating additional qualification places for countries around the world.
To football administrators, expansion raises questions about tournament structure, scheduling and commercial growth.
To players, it means a better chance of reaching the World Cup.
Good News for the Welsh Wizard
One of The Kid’s Madrid teammates becomes particularly excited when he hears about the proposed 48-team tournament.
The player from the Welsh valleys is Gareth Bale, whose national team was still attempting to end a very long absence from major international tournaments.
A larger World Cup would potentially improve Wales’s chances of qualifying, which explains why Bale is so interested in the announcement.
The Cabbie, however, remembers that The Kid previously struggled to understand fantasy football rules.
Adding more teams may not make the calculations any easier.
Football Politics Meets Fantasy Football
The episode connects two very different kinds of football administration.
FIFA officials must decide how many countries can participate in the World Cup. Fantasy football players must understand points, selections and league positions.
Both involve tables, rules and calculations.
The Kid has not always demonstrated complete mastery of any of them.
The Cabbie therefore suspects that excitement about a larger tournament may disappear once somebody has to explain how qualification actually works.
The Football Inspiration Behind the Comic
This Storybook strip was inspired by Luís Figo’s 2015 campaign to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president.
Figo’s manifesto included proposals to expand the World Cup to 40 or 48 teams, reconsider football’s disciplinary rules and distribute more of FIFA’s financial resources across its member associations.
David Beckham, his former Real Madrid teammate, publicly supported the campaign.
Storybook turns those major questions about global football governance into a dressing-room joke about Gareth Bale, Wales and The Kid’s previous difficulties with fantasy football rules.
Characters Featured
The Kid
The Kid follows the FIFA presidential race but approaches the proposals from a player’s perspective. He immediately thinks about how World Cup expansion might affect his teammates.
The Cabbie
The Cabbie provides the background to Figo and Beckham’s relationship before questioning whether The Kid truly understands the proposed tournament format.
Luís Figo
The former Portugal and Real Madrid star appears as The Lion King, a FIFA presidential candidate promising significant changes to international football.
David Beckham
Figo’s former Real Madrid teammate publicly supports his campaign, bringing another member of the Galácticos into the Storybook conversation.
Gareth Bale
The Welsh Madrid player is understandably interested in any proposal that could create additional World Cup qualification places.
Behind the Gag
Figo’s manifesto addresses some of the biggest political and structural questions in world football.
The Kid’s teammate hears only one thing.
More countries could qualify for the World Cup.
The Cabbie then recalls The Kid’s earlier struggles with fantasy football rules and wonders whether a 48-team competition might be too much for him to calculate.
Looking Back
Originally published in 2015, The Manifesto captured a moment when several candidates were challenging the leadership of FIFA and proposing major changes to the game.
Figo later withdrew from the presidential contest, but the idea of a 48-team World Cup did not disappear. It eventually became part of football’s future, giving the original joke an unexpected historical afterlife.
This episode concludes Chapter 2. The next Storybook chapter returns to The Tiger and the mystery surrounding the Iron Tulip’s Satchel.
