Going to a Soccer Game With 100,000 of Our Closest Friends

Written by Kyle about Mexico. Feelin' amused
Kyle_amused

Let's face it, everywhere outside of the US, people love soccer.  Well, that and our friend Drew.  He likes soccer like an Italian.  So, since we are in Rome (or Mexico City), we're decided to do as the Romans (or Mexicans) do and go to a soccer game.

Soccer is Boring
First let's dispell the myth that soccer is boring.  Golf is boring.  Curling is boring (playing it is fun, though).  I can see how people think baseball is boring.  Soccer on the other hand, especially live, is not boring.  The whole game is increadibly tense because all it takes is one spectacular play or mistake and the game has changed dramatically.  The players run full speed at eathother, butt heads, kick eachother, taunt the crowd, yell at the refs, and generally create enough drama for a soap opera.  Soccer on TV really does it injustice.  You have to see the game live and up close to appreciate the athleticism of the game.  Ok, I'm off my soapbox, now.

This Game
I don't really get the whole system, but apparently teams play in various tournaments for various prizes.  In this game, America (from Mexico...they're kind of like the Yankees of Mexico; either you love them or hate them) was playing River Plate (from Uruguay) in the Copa Liberatores.  America got the right to be in this cup because they won their league in Mexico and River Plate did the same in Uruguay.  The team that wins the Copa Liberatores is basically deemed the best team in Mexico / South America and goes on to play in another tournament from winners in other parts of the world.  Complicated?  Ya, I don't totally get it, either.  Anyway, this particular game was important because America needed to win to stay in the running to qualify for the next "round" of the Copa Liberatores.

The Atmosphere
Chaotic is not really a good enough term to describe most of the game.  You wait in a rediculously long line to buy the tickets, then wait in another long line to get into the stadium.  Once people are past the gates, they start running (?) to their seats.  Once there, they cheer the whole game, irregardless of what is happening.  Some of our favorite people to watch were the ones cheering and singing but barely watching the game.  I would blame it on alchohol but at $5 a pop, I don't think they were drinking much during the game.

Also, if you ever go to a soccer game in a foreign country, know who the home team is, unless you want to go watch the game with beer, soda and stadium food thrown at you while hearing insults about your mother.

The Video
Well, enough of my blabbing, watch the game for yourself.  We were actually able to get all 4 goals that America scored on video!

16 Comments

Don't be shy, tell us "hi"

Leave a Reply





Note: All HTML will be removed, including links