ATLANTA (AP) — Some of the most passionate soccer fans Czech Republic vs South Africa I didn’t really care who won.
This was not a battle between World Cup favorites. There was no mega star to flatter. Some of the crowd of 67,442 were there just because it was an event. world cup.
Rami Abdok and the Abdulman brothers sat in section 338, fussing over every flashy play, shouting over every controversial call, and participating in stadium-wide waves with boos erupting among the public during both games. hydration break.
The three were wearing Argentina and Spain jerseys. South Africa while proudly detailing their multilingual backgrounds and international travels. They said the World Cup perfectly captured the beauty they experienced around the world.
“We love every team and we want to see great, great games. The experience of all the energy, diversity and love for one game is unparalleled, unique and legendary,” Abdok said. “We all speak multiple languages. We’ve all traveled to 10, 15, 20 countries. The World Cup encapsulates that experience.”
Two-thirds drove from Memphis, Tennessee. Across the stadium, Jonathan Arango, 33, had just embarked on a similar road trip from South Carolina. Another family of four came from Mississippi. Roadtrippers made their presence felt in yellow and red jersey patches cheering on Czech Republic and South Africa.
For people in this region, Atlanta is the closest and most viable World Cup host city.
Arango attended the match with his wife, daughter and father. All four were Colombian fans, but experiencing the World Cup with or without the team on the field meant fulfilling a lifelong dream.
And some, like brothers Octavio and Diego Ochoa from Mexico, traveled a little further afield.
The Ochoa brothers will fly from Guadalajara to Boston, from Boston to Atlanta, and tomorrow they will depart on the penultimate leg of their trip from Atlanta to Philadelphia. They said watching three games in three cities is still cheaper than going to a game in Mexico.
“In Mexico, a ticket to a match can cost up to 100,000 pesos (about $6,000), so here it’s much cheaper,” Diego said. “We like to travel and watch games.”
The Ochoa brothers spent $150 on tickets to Thursday’s game. They say going to the World Cup is worth going through the headache of navigating long lines at new cities and airports.
After the match ended in a 1-1 draw, fans left with big smiles on their faces to find their next World Cup destination.
Octavio couldn’t have asked for anything better.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
