Multicultural Sydney's World Cup experience

[Memnoch]

From the Sydney Morning Herald.

DAY ONE

Italy 1, Croatia 2

(Norton Street, Leichhardt)

The postcard: Every pub, restaurant, cafe and gelateria in the street had a TV. Crowds spilled onto the street outside the Leichhardt Hotel and it was standing room only at Nortons On Norton. If there were any Croatian fans around, they were keeping mighty quiet.

The locals: "Passionate" doesn't begin to describe what Italians feel about their soccer (sorry, calcio). But, despite reports of violence after the first Italian game, the supporters - flags draped around their shoulders, faces painted red, white and green, their cars decorated with streamers - showed no signs of misbehaviour.

The fallout: The streets erupted when Italy scored first. But as defeat was inflicted, Italian supporter Paul Salis, 28, lamented: "Everyone's in mourning, it's like someone's died."

DAY TWO

Turkey 1, Costa Rica 1

(Auburn RSL Club, Auburn)

The postcard: The air was thick with smoke and the room strangely quiet as we walked in. First impressions suggested these folk had less passion than other supporters but, when Turkey scored first, we were proved wrong.

The locals: I stopped short when first entering the sports bar, thinking we'd entered a men-only club. It was filled with middle-aged males, with not one female in sight.

The fallout: When Turkey scored, a man aged about 60, in suit and tie and wearing a clashing red and white Turkish scarf, shed tears of joy. Erol Sindel, who came to Australia from Turkey in 1980, declared that if his side won the World Cup "it would be like winning World War III".

DAY THREE

Portugal 4, Poland 0

(Sydney Portugal Community Club, Marrickville)

The postcard: But for the odd VB can lying around you could have been forgiven for thinking you were in Portugal. It was Portugal's national day and hundreds of fans were gathered for the match. Fireworks, traditional dancers and Portuguese music preceded the game, Portuguese chicken sizzled on the barbie and there were cervejas aplenty.

The locals: Elsa Ferreira said: "I don't know anything about the rules or anything, I only know I want Portugal to win!" And Rosa Mendonca, dressed in the colourful outfit of the Madeira dancers, said: "They have to win, otherwise my husband won't talk for days!"

The fallout: When striker Pedro Pauleta scored his hat-trick to put Portugal ahead 3-0, the room erupted - women danced on tables, men beat drums and blew whistles, teenagers jumped and danced on a table, then lifted it above their heads. The celebrations lasted into the night.

DAY FOUR

Ireland 3, Saudi Arabia 0

(PJO'Briens, city)

The postcard: Put 300 drunken, singing Irish people in a room and what do you get? A pretty amazing atmosphere. Two hours before the game, there was a queue outside. Having gained entry just before kick-off, we found every second person had face (and other body parts) painted orange and green. And it was loud. Very loud. Days later I still had "Come on, you boys in green" stuck in my head.

The locals: It didn't seem to matter that it was a Tuesday night. The Irish love their football almost as much as they love their drink.

The fallout: When they won, an impromptu limbo started up - an Irish flag doubling as the bar - and several young women broke into a jig. After the fourth repeat of Brown-Eyed Girl we decided it was time to leave the Irish to their own devices.

DAY FIVE

England 0, Nigeria 0

(Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee)

The postcard: Nigerian flag, check. Green and white face paint, check. Capsicum spray, check. We were heading into English backpacker territory to watch the Poms take on Nigeria and it was daunting. Would defeat send the Pommy supporters barking mad on the streets of Coogee? No. We found the pub half-full, with just a few supporters sipping beers and watching the big screen. Maybe it was because it was 4.30pm on a Wednesday. (Maybe it was because the backpackers migrated to the Theatre of Dreams in the city, where things got crazy.)

The locals: The closest we came to some good old-fashioned hooliganism was when a big bloke yelled "bollocks" at the giant courtyard screen. There were a few die-hard fans - one guy had a cross shaved into his hair dyed red, aka the George Cross, and a few lads sported Beckham-style mohawks.

The fallout: No brawls, no riots, not so much as a chair tipped over in frustration at the uninspiring draw. The Pommy fans headed quietly home for tea and biscuits.

DAY SIX

Brazil 5, Costa Rica 2

(One World Sport, city)

The postcard: Scantily clad Brazilian women shook their hips and danced the samba while men beat bongo drums.

The locals: One World Sport has become a home away from home for hundreds of Brazilians. There were about 900 fans - mainly exchange students - packed in. Daniel Musse, 22, and Thiago Cordeiro, 21, had watched every match of the World Cup at the venue. "For us it's like a religion," Musse said. "Everyone goes crazy. When Brazil plays, nobody works."

The fallout: The hip shaking and dancing continued well into the night as Brazilian DJs began pumping out the tunes, with all the fans Living La Vida Loca.

DAY SEVEN

South Korea 1, Portugal 0

(Open Door Korean Church, Chatswood)

The postcard: A church was the last place I'd expect to be watching the World Cup but it's where the Open Door youth group tune in. A big screen (OK, overhead projector), screaming fans and no alcohol (a welcome change on day seven of the tour) were the ingredients.

The locals: The pastor said a prayer before kick-off. No-one seemed fazed that the prayer was said for the "Red Devils", the nickname of the South Korean team.

The fallout: Their cheering alternated between Korean and English, and at one point the fans broke into a Mexican wave. Strangest sight was the pastor listening intently to the match via a small radio held to his ear. The chant of "Dae Han Min Kook [go Korea]" almost drowned out the TV commentary. And how many people were there? Twenty, but they sure had fun. That's the magic of the World Cup.


[ 06-16-2002, 05:33 AM: Message edited by: Memnoch ]

[Scholarcs]

Aye it is, the world cup is all about having fun!