Johnny Football, meet Johnny Futbol!
June 17, 2014Browns officially sign Johnny Manziel
June 17, 2014NATAL, Brazil — After a lively US Soccer party on Sunday night I decided to pass on a Bohemia beer as we sat at a beach-side bar to watch Germany destroy Portugal Monday afternoon. I picked up a Caipirinha instead.
This is also how we started our pregame in preparation for the USMNT game being played down the road. There are no tailgate spots at these games, and you can’t park anywhere near a stadium. So people gather at any bar, restaurant, or street-side joint that sells some sort of alcohol. And in Brazil, if there’s a game in TV, the places fills up.
A 15-minute taxi ride left us about 30 minutes from the stadium, a walk we did while high-fiving the military police who lined the streets to show their presence. We passed a huge gathering of fans across the highway at a corner bar, but found our niche—a small bar just on the other side of the stadium with a small patio overlooking the stadium that was selling beers for the equivalent of about $2.00.
As pros in this venture, none of our crew likes to party hard before games. We don’t want to have to keep running to the bathroom or miss any action or generally feel the effects. But we do like to grab a beer or two.
We enter about an hour before kickoff. The stadium supposedly fits about 40,000 people but it feels like 100,000 are walking in. Inside, our seats are all over the place, but we know what to do—we walk around the concourse starting chants and soon are joined by hundreds. Americans have taken over this stadium.
We make our way behind the goal—walk like you belong and no one says a word. All six of us take over a row about five rows up from the field. In this section of US supporters, no one sits down and no one cares how many people can squeeze in. We all just want passionate, loud, and patriotic supporters.
Inside, our seats are all over the place, but we know what to do—we walk around the concourse starting chants and soon are joined by hundreds. Americans have taken over this stadium.
Our group has some heavy voices, so we stand on our seats and lead chants as we faced upwards. We’re by no means the head ‘capos’ but we’re into this and want others to join us. If you can get fans 10 rows away to hear you, they then keep it going and it can quickly spread. We follow when the songs start above us.
Clint Dempsey scores within seconds and our sections takes up a notch. We’re immediately covered in coke and beer which went airborne in celebration. It takes a couple minutes to get your baring straight afterwards, a head rush that comes from yelling so loudly.
The rumor going around was that there were around 22,000 Americans at the game. We believed it, but also realize how many were at their first World Cup. Many only know the simple ‘USA, USA’ chant. But the chant that gets the most attention as the game goes on is ‘We Believe that We Will Win,’ recently made more popular by ESPNs promos.
Ghana scored and we’re deflated. None of felt the US was playing well, so it was hard to envision another goal. But when John Brooks headed that ball in—right in front of us—it was pure pandemonium. You hug and high-five and yell and scream and lose your head. Then you go look for your buddies because you are now rows away.
We stay in the stands for 20 minutes afterwards—exhausted, spent, dehydrated, hoarse. The chants turn into ‘I Believe that we Just Won,’ and then ‘We’re not Ghana take it, no, we’re not Ghana take it,’ and finally ‘Ghana. Ghana, Ghana…hey hey hey, goodbye.’
8 Comments
Ghana. Ghana, Ghana…hey hey hey, goodbye.
I’ll bet there were people waiting over 8 years to be able to use that one.
That’s awesome, wish I could have been there! Instead, I was here where it was also hot and humid, but satisfying.
http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/large-crowds-watch-u-s-win-in-first-round-of/article_a24d4ea3-25f9-5283-8160-bd9a5517b016.html
That’s me in the white Altidore jersey from the 2010 WC… was on the front page of the print edition today! USA, USA, USA!
That’s awesome!
I’m pretty sure he snapped that picture after we reacted to that Jermaine Jones rocket that was straight at Ghana’s keeper. The poor photographer was kneeling down for an hour in front of our table waiting for a good shot, and he left about five minutes before Ghana’s goal and ten minutes before the second USA goal. He would have had a crazy photo if he stayed that long.
Fantastic. And, that jersey is so much better than what the US is wearing this time around too.
this was the first soccer game I can remember getting excited for and yelling and stuff. good times.
i’m not a fan of “capos” i like the organic chanting. good work bringing it. was an amazing game to watch. at 33, half of me wishes i was there, and half of me is glad i’m not.
I completely agree. Even though the Astropop jersey has grown on me a little, I still liked the ones from the last World Cup a lot better.