Match 2 - Forget What I Said About Match 1
Funny how that works out. But first opinions about an event a year I’ve been planning for almost a year were always bound to be strange. Last night reversed my opinion on some of the stances I took after USA v. Wales, which now makes me doubt I have any idea what to expect in the future.
Twilight Zone
I attended France v. Australia, and it was not at all like my previous experience. Security for one, was much more lax (I wandered over to a different section to find my friend Andres whom I play soccer with in Queens! (picture above)). Crowd Control was much more of a free for all. Transportation was much worse, as this stadium doesn’t lie on the metro line or sit next to a giant popular mall, so they have a bus shuttle service going back and forth, but it just leads to a much messier entrance and exit process. We got back tot he apartment in about the same 1-1.5 hours after we exited the stadium, but it was one of those haggle with a cabbie on the street sort of moves, and cost us $30 (total).
This stadium (Al Janoub Stadium), is much nicer. Clearly benefiting from not being a remodeled old stadium and just clad with an expensive exterior, it much more resembled a modern European stadium, and had many more facilities (including a large hospitality section that allowed alcohol, so clearly less of a morality stance, and more of a; let’s not allow the peasants to drink because they might get rebellious, because they’re less classy individuals than us) and no loud La’eeb looped videos (or maybe I couldn’t hear them because there were more people around).
One of my main criticisms yesterday was how it felt too forced. Well, better understanding timing and being a neutral, gave me the brilliant idea of finding a bar to pregame at on the way to the stadium. We found the convenient Crowne Plaza via one of the fan/social media-created alcohol maps, went into one of their hotel restaurants, and through a door that looked like it led to the kitchen. Which led into a small room with a single guard, who assesses that you’re not Muslim, and allows you into a normal bar. But honestly, unlike speakeasies in New York, which all feel like bars without signs, this was the truest speakeasy energy I had ever experienced. Really felt like we stumbled upon something clandestine. We unfortunately paid $15 per beer for the privilege, and binged a few faster than I normally would, but it had to last us, and we had to get going to the actual game. Yes, I do believe that due to Qatar’s tighter fist, they essentially promote binge drinking, versus, a steadier more enjoyable experience.
Due to our pregaming and more expert timing upon arrival allowed us to not mill around in their awkward fan zone, we just went straight in and enjoyed the warm ups and pregame show. So we didn’t start the match with the awkward taste in our mouth of boredom. Though arriving late means we missed getting the free nation flags. Many fans are realizing they can collect of all them. I suppose it’s the best way they can create a less neutral atmosphere with fewer traveling fans.
But some cringey items again. Many fans are more obsessed with the selfie or filming the whole thing, than watching or engaging. That’s just a general issue I dislike. Qatar also spent a lot of money on some sort of digitization technology that convert video of a goal into a worse digital representation on the goal. Which is weird… since they could just show us the actual replay. The stands empty very early, many people are more focused on beating traffic than watching the match.
I also very much enjoyed pulling up the lyrics to La Marseillaise and singing butchering the anthem with the French. Plus I really like my new toile inspired French kit. Random suggestion for folks in the future going to matches. I know they’re cheaper and considered less desirable, but seats behind the goals like this one are just great. I appreciate the different viewing angle from the standard broadcast, and it’s fun to see play develop from here. There seating categories are a mess. These were half the cost of the ones yesterday.
Now, no one get offended, but I’m going to compare fan energy. The Aussies weren’t as loud or fun as the Welsh. But the French were louder than the Americans. This may… just may… have something to do with the score lines. Wales had come back to draw the match 1-1. Versus the Socceroos having a brief moment of hope before getting crushed by the French. There may have been additional noise support because the neutral fan was clearly there to enjoy one of the superstars, Kylian Mbappe. Also, it has to be noted that hoopin’ and hollerin’ with Saudi Arabians, who were out in droves, celebrating their surprise upset over Argentina, was very satisfying. Not to sound too much like Infantino (the FIFA president), but football can definitely unite people. There were many attempts to start a wave, and near the end of the first half the crowd got a pretty large one going, and amusingly it would pause as it hit the corporate, press, sponsorship section, before more exuberantly getting picked up on the other side by fans. It’s also great to see those in thawbs and hijabs (I have no idea if that’s offensive to assume they’re all called that, but you know what I’m talking about) join in, just as exuberantly as those in football kits.
It’s possible I was too quick to judge yesterday. Or that I was just hungry and annoyed at the result of the draw. Maybe watching a very talented team like France is more enjoyable than moaning and groaning at the Baby Eagles throwing away a lead. Maybe going in with more realistic expectations and less pressure was nice. Maybe it was watching the world’s best player spectacularly tear up the pitch or just seeing more goals go in. Or perhaps I’m just more of an alcoholic than I think and having a few beers made the experience more enjoyable. But I had a fun time and am looking towards the next.
