The other night I was having dinner at Chili House by the 7th circle. Everyone was hooked on the game between Germany and Portugal on the screen. And while sitting outside my friends and I noticed this beat up white Mercedes with about four guys in it, just driving past the road at a moderate speed with Metallica blazing, a German flag waving, and the car horn beeping. They repeated this process around a dozen times.
My friends and I kind of agreed that it is the strangest thing to see so much fervor over a football team for a country so far away and that we really have no affinity to as a people. Usually when Jordan is involved in such events there’s an ample amount of flags, but where the heck are people finding the flag of Portugal in such abundance these days?
And do people in Portugal know about their fans in Jordan? Do the people in Russia or Germany, heck, even Italy?
Anyways, there’s something just weird about young Arabs cheering for a team of a country we have no connection to and would probably prefer that we didn’t.
Maybe it’s just cultural globalization.
It is strange indeed. But will they be arrested or attacked because they are favoring the German team rather than the Italian one? I do not think so but would they if the flags represent a “team” that is Jordanian or Palestinian or Iraqi? Most likely yes! So play it safe and look up North! What a waste!
I’m in Geneva right now, and although it is an international hub it is very strange to see thousands of supporters for all these different teams. I don’t even know why I’m cheering on Turkey and Germany when I’m Ukrainian and Polish heritage. But I suppose it’s all in good fun.
Nas my dear you need to cross to the other side to understand this. In my teenage days (lasted until I was 28) I used to carry the flag of France and the photos of Platini and Zidane all along. I consider myself as a “serious” person but when it comes to football I am as fanatic as any 12 years old boy. I know that neither Platini nor Zidane nor any french will know or care about me supporting the french team but this is an attachment that is international and I think is positive. AS long as you do not smash cars and wake people of their sleep this is harmless and enjoyable.
So, Nas pick your team and start cheering, but for God sake not Italy!!
Football fever!! It’s incredibly powerful. Transcends common sense, rationale, nationality. It’s about your team, your players, your heroes…and an awesome spectator sport. It’s a good fever to have.
“but for God sake not Italy!!”….lol well, not anymore 😀
“just driving past the road at a moderate speed with Metallica blazing, a German flag waving”
Yabu el shewaira el 7amra o nasherha 3al rommanny dag Almany …dag Almany
I’m a very huge Argentina fan but I still wouldn’t feel comfortable waving their flag, just doesn’t feel right for me. But if I once felt like beating a Dutch fan in the 1998 World Cup after Holland defeated Argentina. I can now totally understand (but not condone) how crazy fans cause chaos and break cars and set fires when their teams lose.
I once saw a real fight with chairs flying in the air and sisters being cussed in Amman in the Euro 2000 semi-finals between France and Protugal.
i totally agree with batir and arabianmonkey, its about having idols and role models it is not different to having a favorite actor or a favorite singer, who ever that is or of whatever nationality, I’am not a football fanatic or anything but i enjoy very much cheering for different teams and notice mostly it has to do with political sympathies…, and its fun!
Maybe because we are an empty nation with no such great sport achievements or any kind of achievements. We also have raised our kids in a way not to expect anything from our Arab countries. Or is it the culture emptiness that we all live in??
i think its rather ironic, however, not necessarily strange… we are cheering the team, the players, the game, the shots and misses…but because the teams represent countries, or even clubs, we tend to use their flags, shorts, songs, to carry out a message..
as for those countries’ native fans, surely they feel more connected to it, as we, when Jordan is playing.
this wold is getting more global by the second that we need to accept the latest and the most recent trends in life, be it cheering for zimbabwe or buying an ipod. its the same element: Globalization.
Let’s go SPAIN!!!!
Hi, I do not agreed that it is strange thing to see Jordaian support a football team for a country so far away, it is so easy we support the good game, if a team is playing in a very nice we shouldn’t cheer and wavie their flag…