Real Football Fans
Time to take another break and head down to Frankfurt for the Argentina vs. Netherlands match. I now understand why a 0:0 score can actually provide some great drama. These are two storied national teams. Argentina is a perennial contender, having qualified for 14 World Cups and taken home the trophy twice. And, of course, is the home of Diego Maradona, who is second only to Pele in the pantheon of soccer legands. (By the way, Maradona was at the match, as evidenced by appearance on the four-screen jumbotron suspended above the pitch).
Holland isn't too bad either. They've never won but they made it to the final twice, coming up short both times. But their fans are among the best. Especially since most were decked out in day-glo orange. This is apparently from William of Orange who was a founding father of the country. Regardless of history they look a bit silly. Like hunters without shotguns.
Both fans cheered on their teams with gusto. The Dutch had some typical chants. But the Argentines have an elaborate chant that includes lots of "Ole, ole, ole, ole"s a few references to Argentina and some other Spanish. Couldn't understand the language, but the emotion was clear.
The fans took turns with the chants. At one point late in this nil-nil contest, the German fans started a "Deutschland, Deutschland!" chant. (Lots of Germans everywhere). And at the end everyone celebrated as though their team had one.
This is a totally different approach to a game. No winner. No loser. Just a celebration of sport and the athleticism of the participants. I can't imagine an American football fangetting excited about a zero-zero game. But having been to this game, I have a new respect for the "beautiful game."
Time to take another break and head down to Frankfurt for the Argentina vs. Netherlands match. I now understand why a 0:0 score can actually provide some great drama. These are two storied national teams. Argentina is a perennial contender, having qualified for 14 World Cups and taken home the trophy twice. And, of course, is the home of Diego Maradona, who is second only to Pele in the pantheon of soccer legands. (By the way, Maradona was at the match, as evidenced by appearance on the four-screen jumbotron suspended above the pitch).
Holland isn't too bad either. They've never won but they made it to the final twice, coming up short both times. But their fans are among the best. Especially since most were decked out in day-glo orange. This is apparently from William of Orange who was a founding father of the country. Regardless of history they look a bit silly. Like hunters without shotguns.
Both fans cheered on their teams with gusto. The Dutch had some typical chants. But the Argentines have an elaborate chant that includes lots of "Ole, ole, ole, ole"s a few references to Argentina and some other Spanish. Couldn't understand the language, but the emotion was clear.
The fans took turns with the chants. At one point late in this nil-nil contest, the German fans started a "Deutschland, Deutschland!" chant. (Lots of Germans everywhere). And at the end everyone celebrated as though their team had one.
This is a totally different approach to a game. No winner. No loser. Just a celebration of sport and the athleticism of the participants. I can't imagine an American football fangetting excited about a zero-zero game. But having been to this game, I have a new respect for the "beautiful game."
posted by Petro at 6:27 PM
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