Post World Cup Blues

I read an article on Sunday in which one of the organizers of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa said that come Monday (so yesterday) there was going to be a nation-wide case of the post World Cup blues. I totally understood that. It is always so sad when a really great event that has been anticipated for so long is over. I always feel so sad when the Winter Olympics are over, knowing that I have to wait another 4 years before they happen again. Last August when I was in South Africa, people everywhere kept mentioning the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It was really cool to see how 10 months before the whole thing started, everyone was looking forward to it so much. And now it's done...For the last month I regularly watched soccer matches, (or at least checked scores), reminisced a lot about the last World Cup, and had numerous World Cup related conversations. So while I am sure I feel only a fraction of what South Africans feel, I can definitely relate.

I first started to pay attention to/like the World Cup only four years ago, during Germany '06. (Although I went on a school trip to Italy in June 1998 (the World Cup was in France that year), and I remember one evening in Rome there were huge celebrations going on as the Italian team had won one of their games. Rome became a sea of giant Italian flags, honking cars and smiling and exuberant people. I remember my 14 year old self thinking all the celebrations were cool, but the World Cup - and how it could inspire that kind of display - was completely over my head.) L., and her entire family are big soccer/football fans and thanks to her enthusiasm, L., K. and I attended many a game at the Starry Plough in Berkeley in June 2006, primarily cheering on Argentina. We were crushed (absolutely crushed! After the match, we stood outside on the sidewalk in front of the bar trying to cheer ourselves up by acknowledging that in sports there always has to be a winner and a loser) when Germany beat Argentina in penalties in the quarter finals.

This time around, I cheered on Argentina again (although I greatly missed L. and K.!) wearing the Argentina jersey my dad bought me at Winners. Sadly, Germany beat them in the quarter finals...again! It was awful. But even once Argentina was out I still enjoyed watching the other matches, all the way to Spain's victory in the final. I like the World Cup because I think soccer is a cool and fun sport in general, and to watch. And also because I really love the (mostly positive) relationships between team mates, between players and their coaches, and players and the fans. Hugs, high fives, smiles, tears abounded.

What I found most touching of all was the welcome the Argentine National Team received at the airport in Buenos Aires, the day after their loss to Germany. Between 15,000-20,000 fans came out to the airport that evening, singing, waving flags and cheering on the team as the bus moved slowly through the crowd. These fans didn't care that Argentina had lost, they just wanted to cheer on their team. Huge crowds (literally a mass of people and flags) turned out in Montevideo when the Uruguay team came home - you'd think Uruguay had won, not come in 4th. It's difficult not to be inspired by that kind of cheer and good will, and wish it existed all the time. Although I know a big part of what makes the World Cup special is that it only happens every four years; so with that, I already can't wait for Brazil 2014!