EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Tom Cruise bravely tried to give a speech at an event. world cup How soccer was a kind of world unifier, how great players came across oceans and borders, and what else?
Among the Argentinian and Spanish fans who traveled and spent thousands of miles, it was nearly impossible to hear the actors’ voices over the cacophony of bells, whistles and drums that served as a house band of joyful songs and clapping. ticket, Beer And yes, a wig — world cup finals.
There was no exorbitant ticket price to say goodbye to Lionel Messi playing in perhaps his last World Cup match.
“The money will come back,” said Argentine national team fan Manuel López Maccotta. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime event. You get to see the best players in the world at their last World Cup. Money is worth nothing compared to this.”
Macotta and one of his friends traveled from Buenos Aires to New Jersey to watch the finals.
What is the ticket price?
“It’s close to 10,000 in American money,” McCotta said.
of beer $18 What he was lining up to buy seemed like pennies compared to tickets to a high-profile game.
His friend Santiago Burcaco easily paid $5,000 for his ticket.
“I bought the ticket before the World Cup final,” he said.
Speaking in the stadium’s 200 section on Sunday, Guadalupe Villar said it was almost by chance that she and her husband made it to the finals.
A couple from Bueno Aires with their almost two-year-old daughter won a ticket to the Argentina-England semi-final in Atlanta. After their home country won, they decided they weren’t ready to go home and splurged on tickets to the finals, which cost $7,000 each (their daughter got free).
“We both work and have savings, so we thought, ‘Okay, this vacation might be a little longer.'” Here we are, you know? Villar said.
The only problem? Their flight from Atlanta to New York was canceled due to bad weather.
Villar, an architect, said his family piled into a car with fellow countrymen they had met on the road and drove north for 15 hours, arriving at 5 a.m. on the day of the game.
“We’re tired and hot,” she said, taking a break with her sleepy daughter in the shade between the seats and the concession stand.
World Cup fans wanted a party
World Cup fans were given a ‘Join The Celebration’ sign encouraging fans how best to participate in the match.
“When the music starts, use your clapper and clap!”
It was as helpful as signing up Messi for soccer coaching.
As has been the case throughout the tournament, fans from both countries traveled long distances to enter the stadium and were excited from the moment they sang and chanted in their native languages. Indeed, it’s a high bar for halftime performers like Madonna and Shakira to reach. President Donald Trump’s presence did not appear to slow down security for fans.
Spanish fans lined up in scattered rows wearing bright red and yellow Afro wigs emblazoned with the national flag. They took them off only to splash water on their heads and necks to stay cool on sunny days.
Ticket prices for the final soared like Messi’s free-kick, but in the end they fell slightly below the standards of wealthy fans. “Modern Family” actress Sofia Vergara stopped traffic on one of the concourses about 45 minutes before kickoff.
Tickets for the World Cup final were on sale for tens of thousands of dollars, but the price dropped to $2,334.50 on FIFA’s resale site hours before the game started. FIFA was still selling full-price tickets on the morning of the game for $10,990.
World Cup fans got creative to attend the match
Sure, some fans may have saved money to buy tickets.
Messi and the once-in-a-lifetime match instilled a unique obsession in Argentina’s passionate and loyal fan base.
Three of my friends were among them. Bicycled more than 10,000 miles He travels from his home in Argentina to Kansas City, Missouri to watch the national team play in a tournament. who is the nanny survived Something to look for, save up for, or go to a Honda Civic. And another fan said: got a tattoo Become an Argentine celebrity in exchange for match tickets.
The cyclists looked like this followed their path To New Jersey.
Most of the soccer fanatics in the stadium had saved up money and had the means to travel.
McCotta, 28, runs a software company and his friend Burcaco works in real estate.
Maccotta figured he spent about $35,000 total chasing Argentina in the World Cup. The highlight from before Sunday, the win against England. He arrived in New York at 4:50 a.m. Sunday, delayed by nearly 14 hours in leaving Miami due to thunderstorms.
“This is the last Messi World Cup,” he said. Hopefully we can go back to back. We must share that feeling. It’s once in a lifetime. ”
This is Argentina’s chance to win back-to-back Men’s World Cups for the first time since Pele and Brazil did it in 1958 and 1962. And for Messi, write the perfect ending He has indicated that this will be his last appearance for the national team. His No. 10 jersey was everywhere.
Thousands of Argentine and Spanish fans flooded Times Square over the weekend, breaking into the kind of revelry that has become a staple of festivities in World Cup host cities across North America, including songs and chants.
Spain was ready to call the fandom a draw.
Curro Sánchez, from Madrid, spent $8,000 on tickets. He arrived the day before and plans to stay in Manhattan until Thursday.
“I had a big, big, big fight with my wife,” Sanchez said. “At the end of the day, she understood.”
For Spain, this is a chance to win the World Cup for the second time after 2010, cementing their status as the undisputed dominant force at the moment.
Sanchez, 42, only brought one friend along after suggestions for others failed to arrive.
“We tried to convince 10 friends and relatives and everyone said, ‘No way,'” he said. “I’ve already booked a vacation. It costs too much.”
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Associated Press writer Philip Marcello contributed to this article.
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
