I’m an American – people say “football” to me and I think tackles, helmets, and fans who paint their faces blue. However, in the rest of the world, football is played with your feet. I understand those people really, really like their football but I am clueless as to who won the World Cup, and I certainly don’t know any of the players. Therefore, when my wife and I had the chance to go see a professional game in Buenos Aires, Argentina, we basically went along because everyone else was. Wow! So that’s football…
To begin with, we were lucky enough to be at the South American final between Argentina and Brazil – in Argentina, so the excitement level was at maximum fever pitch. Secondly, we bought our tickets from scalpers who had definite corrupt undertones, but did pay the appropriate bribes and escorted us through the unruly mob. We were led through locked gates, slum apartment buildings, and filth-lined alleys to the outskirts of a rundown coliseum. The females of our group were quickly led through a hole in a line of plastic-shielded riot police, but us guys had to survive the gate crush.
Drums beat incessantly, getting louder and louder as we approached the stadium, making me think of Mordor - men crazily jumped and danced to the heavy beat. Eventually, our testosterone-steriod-muscleshirted escorts got us inside. There’s no seating – only standing. Rude, unshirted men pushed their way through the densely packed crowds. Flags and banners were everywhere. I was amazed at the intensity of everyone, and surprised that only home team fans were in attendance - probably to prevent riots fueled by lots of drugs and alcohol. Also, there’s no distracting scoreboard to remind fans of the score or time remaining – which probably causes riots. The few children and women were accompanied by riot-proof adults – bald with lots of ugly tattoos. A humongous 200 by 300 meter banner that literally unfurls over the heads of spectators, may serve to quash riots?
During the game, streamers rained down in a curtain of toilet paper covering the field, which was never cleaned up – players simply ran through the mess. Smoke bombs and roman candles spray over the crowd, often blocking our view and our breath. Fences are for climbing and standing on top of. Battalions of riot police lined the field. No loud speakers, no popcorn vendors, no ushers, nothing like you might expect at a baseball game… This was the basest of sport enthusiasm.
It was the 2nd game of two (the 1st game was in Brazil), and the total score is a combination of both games. Argentina was down 2 goals, but they made them up as we watched, each time causing a huge crowd eruption. No score in overtime so it went to a kickoff – which Argentina won!!! The crowd literally went wild – people scratching themselves seriously in the barbwire, and every gate swayed dangerously under the assault. We thought it would be good strategy to leave immediately before things really got out of hand but getting though the throng required bulldozer concentration. Fires burned on the ground outside the entrance, and there were multitudes of barbecue carts and merchandise hawkers with their wares laid out on the street. It took almost an hour to finally clear the bedlam.
I predict it’s going to take a while for Americans to commit to this kind of “football.”
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