The World Cup final itself was an amazing day. We started in our hotel near Saint Dumont Airport a good 15 minutes by taxi from Copacobana. We wanted to get a metro but it was completely closed. For a two mile radius beside the Maracana stadium there was a total security lock down with a very heavy army and police presence. We tried to get a taxi but all were full. This was 12 o'clock in the day and the match starting at 4pm. We wanted to get to the FIFA fan fest at 1.30 at the latest to try get in. We eventually resorted to local buses and got lucky getting on to one. The 20 minute journey to get down town was hilarious. It seemed like I was in Buenos Aires, for all intensive purposes, I was. The place was a wash with the reported 120,000 Argentines who had mad the 30 hour drive from Argentina. Rio belonged to them to the disgust of the locals. They were singing loudly, slamming on horns and blowing on trumpets, whistles anything that would make a noise. It was great to see.
We got a bite to eat in a Boteca and made our way to the large queue for the fan fest, thankfully Camila and I and her sister and husband got in. The place holds 20,000 and I reckon 18,000 were Argentinean, there were a small number of Brazilians and a sprinkle of Europeans. We got a German flag and were supporting the Europeans. It was hilarious the amount of Argentines who came up to me and wanted a photo and the amount that also were waving their hands at meet trying to provoke a reaction. They were full sure it was there day and were going to win.
The only way to describe there support was like a huge heard mentality frenzy, the likes you would see in the stands of a derby game between Boca and River Plate or Celtic Rangers. They really were going for it. A lot of folk were at fever pitch for the entire game. The funniest part for me was when they had their disallowed goal. A lot of them thought the goal counted, they exploded when the ball hit the net. I've seen a lot of celebrations in my day but this one was ridiculous. Two old men in there 60s or 70s fell to the ground in front of my feet, rolling in the hallowed Copacabana sand, screaming and roaring in ecstasy. They were a mess when they got up, especially when they found out the goal was disallowed, I'll never forget the shouting on the ground, holding each other and shouting punching their hands in the air. It's hard to describe the emotion of the crowd and of these two fans in particular. The enormity of the situation of potentially winning the world cup on Brazilian soil was almost too much for them to hold in. I reckon they were right on the wire of spontaneous human combustion. Myself and Rodrigo couldn't stop laughing for a good minute. For me the best part of the entire day.
In the end, the Germans grounded out a well deserved win and the Argentines went from complete carnival madness to a progression of heads bowed down in silence walking out of the Fan Fest. I did my piece for the Germans and kept their flag flying as a proud European. The small Brazilian group that was present loved the fact that the German flag was aloft flying high as thousands of Argentines were forced to see it on the way out. It was interesting to note that only two of them came up and said well done. The rest were totally despondent and were simply without words.
The Brazilians partied hard into the night with their new found German friends. The sighs of relief from the Brazilans were palpable. The shame of them losing the cup to the Argentians would have be too much to bare.
The samba started again and the tango beats declined and all seemed well in the world again for the Brazilians as a beautiful night light came down on the Fan Fest. It was a really pleasure to have been in Rio to see history unfold and I have to take my hats off to the Argentians for a masterclass in how to support your team. Seeing so many of them making the journey mostly by car and then singing for hours on end was amazing and a sight i won't forget in a hurry. Also fair play to the Brazilians for putting on an unforgettable show and for the Germans inevitably doing the business. They fully deserved it. I'm already looking forward to Olympics down here already. If it's half the show that this one was it will be amazing.
We got a bite to eat in a Boteca and made our way to the large queue for the fan fest, thankfully Camila and I and her sister and husband got in. The place holds 20,000 and I reckon 18,000 were Argentinean, there were a small number of Brazilians and a sprinkle of Europeans. We got a German flag and were supporting the Europeans. It was hilarious the amount of Argentines who came up to me and wanted a photo and the amount that also were waving their hands at meet trying to provoke a reaction. They were full sure it was there day and were going to win.
The only way to describe there support was like a huge heard mentality frenzy, the likes you would see in the stands of a derby game between Boca and River Plate or Celtic Rangers. They really were going for it. A lot of folk were at fever pitch for the entire game. The funniest part for me was when they had their disallowed goal. A lot of them thought the goal counted, they exploded when the ball hit the net. I've seen a lot of celebrations in my day but this one was ridiculous. Two old men in there 60s or 70s fell to the ground in front of my feet, rolling in the hallowed Copacabana sand, screaming and roaring in ecstasy. They were a mess when they got up, especially when they found out the goal was disallowed, I'll never forget the shouting on the ground, holding each other and shouting punching their hands in the air. It's hard to describe the emotion of the crowd and of these two fans in particular. The enormity of the situation of potentially winning the world cup on Brazilian soil was almost too much for them to hold in. I reckon they were right on the wire of spontaneous human combustion. Myself and Rodrigo couldn't stop laughing for a good minute. For me the best part of the entire day.
In the end, the Germans grounded out a well deserved win and the Argentines went from complete carnival madness to a progression of heads bowed down in silence walking out of the Fan Fest. I did my piece for the Germans and kept their flag flying as a proud European. The small Brazilian group that was present loved the fact that the German flag was aloft flying high as thousands of Argentines were forced to see it on the way out. It was interesting to note that only two of them came up and said well done. The rest were totally despondent and were simply without words.
The Brazilians partied hard into the night with their new found German friends. The sighs of relief from the Brazilans were palpable. The shame of them losing the cup to the Argentians would have be too much to bare.
The samba started again and the tango beats declined and all seemed well in the world again for the Brazilians as a beautiful night light came down on the Fan Fest. It was a really pleasure to have been in Rio to see history unfold and I have to take my hats off to the Argentians for a masterclass in how to support your team. Seeing so many of them making the journey mostly by car and then singing for hours on end was amazing and a sight i won't forget in a hurry. Also fair play to the Brazilians for putting on an unforgettable show and for the Germans inevitably doing the business. They fully deserved it. I'm already looking forward to Olympics down here already. If it's half the show that this one was it will be amazing.
