The spirit of the World Cup
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Comment: George Dearnaley
I’ve been to three previous Soccer World Cup tournaments and there’s one thing that is common to all of them –? the ‘spirit’ among supporters and fans who are attending the event.?
You don’t have to speak the same language, as long as you speak ‘football’.?
There is almost a sense of kinship among fans where people become helpful and more considerate with one another and it gives the World Cup this great element of friendship.
I was at Cape Town airport early this morning and a flight from Rio De Janeiro landed full of Mexican supporters. As these fans started coming through the arrivals area they were met by South Africans and English and Brazilian fans and although language was a problem, with a range of hand signals and facial gestures everyone seemed to find the person they were looking for and make their way to their transport or accommodation.
The next flight was from London and a whole horde of Poms arrived in their England jerseys looking slightly worse for wear after their 13 hour flight. They were met by a duo of singing South Africans, faces painted and drums beating and all the faces seemed to light up as they realized they had arrived in World Cup land. It helped that there wasn’t a vuvuzela in sight!
This is what the World Cup is all about, the spirit among fans, the camaraderie and a sense of all getting along together.
Long may it last!
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