Just an Aficionado
Do you know that we are living in a special moment in history? Not just because of the politics but also because of the Soccer World Cup!
You may be thinking, “What???”
Are you not very interested in this subject? Well, let me get your attention in this matter. It will only take 5 minutes of your life to read about this historical moment of The Soccer World Cup. Personally, I find this very fascinating to say the least. I don’t like numbers, but I love statistics. Go figure! It may not make any sense but that’s what it is.
In my case, I love soccer simply out of nostalgia for my father, family, and country. I have fond and vivid memories watching the games surrounded by family, friends, and food and especially my father, (miss you Papa)!!!! My father was a very traditional person. He did not allow my sisters and I to date but he DID let me date the goalie of the famous team in Guadalajara. The dating was fun while it lasted.
Additionally, you know the trajectory of my brother, Alfonso, in Santa Fe with his football team. His family and him are total experts in the game. I love watching the games with them because they really know about it, but I also like to watch it by myself in the comfort of my house.
The first F.I.F.A World Cup happened in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1930. There were only 13 teams allowed to play. Now there are 48 teams competing! This year, for the FIRST time, the games are being played in three different countries: Canada, US, and Mexico. The logistics are simply mind boggling. There are 50 MILLION viewers in the world. Can you imagine that?
In Mexico City at the Estadio Azteca there are 87,523 spectators, in Guadalajara 46,355, Miami 64,767, Toronto 45,736, Los Angeles 70,240 Monterrey 53,500 this will giveyou an idea of the energy of these games.
At the World Cup, we have the opportunity to see the best-of-the-best players in the world in an event that happens only every 4 years. We are fortunate not only to see legends like Messi and Ronaldo but other incredible players that are going to be part of the history of football and this time that we are living it!
The way they master the ball makes them look like ballet dancers combined with Irish dancers. I admire the beauty and perfection of their bodies. In this event everybody is included regardless of the color of their skin or their culture. The language is FOOTBALL.
The other aspect of the World Cup that fascinates me is the spectacle and the psychological impact. Looking at the faces in the audience you can see on display all the human emotions. Hope, sadness, happiness, frustration, anger, you name it! They are all there on the camera as I watch the games. I see the tears rolling down their faces when their National Anthems are sung.
When teams play in Mexico, the audience sings “Ay, Ay, AYYY CANTA Y NO LLORES” Everybody knows this song. Can you imagine being there with 87,523 people singing around you??? Even if you do not know the song, even if you don’t know the words, it is incredibly moving.
We may think that COVID happened a long time ago, but we are still feeling the repercussions of a global pandemic on our economy, on our psyches, and in our bodies. This is the kind of event that brings those feelings to light. To be able to gather again, to celebrate and come together are things that we once took for granted but are even more special now. This is a difficult time in our history considering politics, and also the economy, which has been especially challenging.
This brings to mind the spectacles of the Roman Empire. The games in the coliseum, attended by tens of thousands of citizens, cheering, shouting, even crying over a win or a loss. Are these soccer games an escape from reality the way those ancient games were? There is a similar primal response to being in a crowd of this size. But how can anybody blame us after what we have gone through and what has been happening in the world? It seems to me that this is a necessary part of recovering from a shared trauma. Something that is necessary for our mental well-being.
When the National Anthems are sung, the faces in the audience are full of patriotism and hope. It’s very moving. The only sad thing about this is that my father is not here to enjoy this historic time, especially with Mexico doing so well. I miss you Papá.
But I do want to clarify, I’m only an AFICIONADO.
Let me know your thoughts and please write to me at my email address: guadalupej4k@gmail.com. Thank you!
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