Foster's Football Brew # 4: Ever Gone Sky Diving?

June 27, 2014

-----

BELO HORIZONTE, BRAZIL -- My final "Reporting From Brazil" edition of the FIFA 2014 World Cup FFB comes over a week tardy...it seems the frequent travel and constant distractions make it impossible to be a soccer blogger at the World Cup! I don't know how all those travel writers do it!

Eric & Reza at a World Cup Match!

The highlight of my trip was to see the only match for which I could purchase tickets...Argentina vs. Iran. I went with my Iranian-American buddy, Reza. He had been talking smack for months before the trip, which I thought was just fine because I would have the rest of my life to brag about a "certain" Argentine victory. Little did I know, Iran would have one of the stingiest defenses in the tournament! On the flight to Belo Horizonte, an Argentine couple taught me the most popular two songs sung by the Argentines...the longer one bagging on Brazil for having beat them the last time they met in the World Cup (ARG eliminated BRA in the 1990 Italy World Cup...quite a long time ago!)...proclaiming Maradona as better than Pele. In the name of fairness and full disclosure, the Brazilians' answer is
a song following the same tune (which by the way seems to follow CCR's "Bad Moon Rising") reminding Argentines that Brazil has five World Cup championships...and Argentina only two.

So yours truly, Reza, and a third friend (sans ticket!), a German American named Tobi, arrived at the host city of Belo Horizonte and found the city center area to be surprisingly pleasant. Quieter than Rio, it had a nice lay out, plenty of good restaurants, bars, etc. The night before the match, we "stumbled upon" a batallion...no, an ARMY of Argentine fans that clogged several streets...actually, the hordes were so vast, I couldn't count how many side streets and blocks deep the crowds had filled...I had a feeling the next day's game would be overrun by the brethren of my mother's homeland! There was singing, chanting, and jumping in the streets, and we had to detour around the crowd because it would have taken perhaps an hour, plus the defense of potentially several pickpocket attempts...my friends didn't have the will to swim between the packed obstacles of humanity.

Iran Loves Messi!

Attending a World Cup game was truly special. It was an "early game", with 1pm kick-off itme. The fans had to walk about a full mile to the stadium from the taxi and bus drop-off points. The walkways were secured and only allowed those with tickets to the game, so that was somewhat reassuring. I was impressed by the support for Iran, which was estimated to number around 3,000 people. For a sold-out stadium hosting 60,000 people, that meant about a mere 5%. We took photos with and/or of groups of Argentine and Iranian fans, some of them pictured together with respective flags, home-made banners, and elaborate costumes. My favorites were the Iranian Batman, Iranian flag proclaiming "Iran Loves Messi" (Ironic given the future results of the game), and Marilyn Monroe Maradona doll. While Reza and I made our way to the stadium, Tobi hung out on the streets and at a samba bar that was overrun by Argentines...who couldn't snap up tickets. There were tons of them. And later that night, they would double the previous night's crowds in the center of Belo, lighting off firecrackers and discovering at what point they couldn't handle their liquor (quite an early hour, as the celebrating rowds calmed down well before midnight).

There were several ticket and ID checks to get in. Reza bought a FIFA World Cup tee. I picked up a pair of Brahma 22-oz beer cups, decked out with FIFA logos...they turned out to be the only souvenirs I would take home with me. Our seats were directly down from the corner line, behind the goal...the one against which Argentina would attack in the second half...but not the half of the stadium on which the cameras would mostly focus for the broadcast. We sat next to mostly Argentines. An Iranian couple from LA sat behind us. Throughout my time in Belo, it seemed there were more Iranians from the US and Canada than Iran itself...an interesting representation. In front of us, an Israeli Argentine and his Iranian friend...from Rancho Cucamonga...proving futbol brings the world together!! Thankfully, I sat next to a knowledgeable Argentine fan who gave me the low-down on some lesser-known Argentine players (defenders, of course!).

Now to the game. Reza and I agreed that Iran would try to play for a tie...perhaps 1-1, or 0-0. But I predicted a 3 to 1 victory. The first half featured more "good opportunities" for Iran than Argentina...several scary crosses that Iran couldn't convert. More of that happened in the second half, with Iran showing great fast-break speed and producing plays that lacked a true finisher on the receiving end in the box (thankfully!). The Argentine's side was so patient, trying to play possession futbol, attempting to create the perfect chance to score...but making the fans VERY nervous in the process. The few crosses that swang into the box never had a chance...Iran's defense was too tall, too packed to allow Argentina any chances. Thus far, Argentina's goalkeeper was my "M.o.M" (Man of the Match)...saving a deep header in the second half. Argentine fans all wondered why Argentina wasn't playing more aggressively...as the clock was running out, the singing died down...the "home team" was losing its breath. Then in a flash, Messi quickly received a pass, cut to his left, and from about 28 yards out, fired a curler towards us, and this time it didn't sail wide or over the crossbar...it nestled into the net. PANDO-MONIUM...the crowd roared into the air....my jump resulted not in spilled beer (mine was empty by this point), but the suffering of a huge abrasion on my left calf. I've never had so many hugs and high fives from strangers in my life. The EUPHORIA was off the scales... I've never been sky diving, but I figured the adrenaline rushing through my body would be comparable to such an experience. WHAT A MOMENT! Reza was devastated...Iran put up a great fight, but Messi Magic was too much in the end.

In terms of events I have attended in person, this may well have been the best sporting experience of my life:   -Over 75% of the fans were "mine"
  -I learned a few Argentine national team songs
  -Everyone was friendly, regardless of which country they were from
  -My team won, in dramatic fashion!

I can't wait to see what happens with Argentina v. Switzerland...and USA v Belgium, for that matter. Speaking for both teams...I...I believe...I believe that we...I believe that we will win, I believe that we will win, I believe that we will win!!!!

Signing off....

-Eric Foster