Shirt ties rival blood ties
There are 32 teams competing in Brazil, but the chance to watch the tournament in what the hosts like to call the ‘land of football’ has proved irresistible for citizens from around the globe.
“If your own country isn’t here, that doesn’t matter too much — football is an international phenomenon,” said Chinese tourist Wang Wei, wearing the green and yellow scarf of Brazil.
Singaporean fans Nicholas Khoo and Wang Ying Shuang donned Spain jerseys for Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Chile at a cacophonous Maracana Stadium in Rio.
Undeterred by the defending champions’ unceremonious dethronement, the pair said they would now throw their support to Germany.
“I’m an Arsenal fan and they have some German players, so they’re my next choice,” said Khoo.
He insisted, however, that he was not a fair-weather fan.
“I used to support [Spain] when they were perennial underdogs and they finally came good these past few years,” added Khoo.
“I’d love to see Asian teams do well — but the standard is still a bit behind there.”
Wang said the biggest challenge had not been choosing a team but getting tickets back home.
“We tried with friends and finally got tickets for four matches in Rio. We had four computers lined up and kept pressing ‘refresh,’” said Wang. “Finally, we got lucky.”
Soaking up the World Cup vibe after Belgium edged Russia on Sunday at the Maracana, Raoul Kafuti, a fan from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was decked out in Brazilian green and yellow.
“What a wonderful atmosphere — I’m having a great time,” said Kafuti.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2014.
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