Goals in the River - Germany 2006 World Cup
A Mexican Heart in the Heart of Europe
Darmstadt, Germany. June 20, 2006 - My dear and beautiful Mexico would play its first game of the World
Cup Germany 2006 on Sunday, June 10th. The emotion was double: the weather had reached 25 and 30
Centigrade! The forecast for the next day: even better! Nevertheless, the day before the game I stayed
home. As a university student I had to complete some assignments. I had already made some
arrangements with other Mexican friends: “tomorrow, will go to Frankfurt!” It is only 20 minutes away,
and I’d been informed already that the Germans were able to amaze people one more time: a large
group of technicians and the City of Frankfurt installed a giant screen floating in the middle of the Neckar
River, an arm of the Rhine River, which divides the city of Frankfurt at the north and south. At the north
bank of the river they installed grandstands for approximately 1,000 people. That was our plan: to watch
the game from there. Since the main train station isn’t too far from the big screen, we didn’t think twice
and decided to head there walking. Besides that, it was going to be the first time in a very a long time
that my skin would see the sunlight.
If there is a country that Germans love, it is Mexico. In the seven years I’ve been living in Germany, I
haven’t had a greater happiness than to see the smiles and the expression of the Germans when they
see our Mexican flag. In the fifteen-minute walk towards the river, whether it was a German, an Arab
citizen, or a person of any nationality, they would yell “Mexico, Mexico!” when they saw my friend’s
boyfriend –who’s ascendance is Japanese-German– wrapped himself in the Mexican flag, and wearing the
traditional Mexican hat of the sleepy Mexican character who is portrayed sitting next to a cactus. “Mexico,
Mexico!” We could feel the chanting! If there’s something Mexicans can be proud of abroad (at least in
Europe) is that: wherever we go, they like us!
To tell the truth, we were expecting to see more of our countrymen. But as we were approaching the
river and the grandstands, we could see more Iranians. The Iranian population in Germany is not a big as
the Turkish, for example, but since Iranians citizens came seeking asylum to Germany in the 70’s, their
growth has been inevitable. Once we were in the grandstands, and after being controlled by the security
personnel –every single one, without exception– we decided to look for more of our countrymen to get
together with them, otherwise we would go unnoticed! What is more, the colors of our Mexican flag and
the paint colors many Mexican and Iranians fans used to paint their faces were the same! This without
also taking into consideration, that the physical characteristics between Mexican and Iranians don’t
differentiate much from each other. Every time we saw other Mexicans, we yelled at them: “stay with us;
let’s concentrate in the same spot!”
An hour before the Mexico vs. Iran soccer game would begin, we amounted only to about 20 Mexicans.
Although more and more were coming, we were still a minority. Finally, after Netherlands defeated
Serbia, fans from both teams left the grandstands quickly. We barely filled six rows, but the chanting
gave the impression that we were more. Of course, we were surrounded by Iranians, but we never felt it
that way. On the giant screen, the Mexican team could be seen; cheering and whistling could be heard,
as well as some flags waving. Listening to the Mexican national anthem was for me one of the most
emotional moments. Perhaps because of the distance of many years away from Mexico, I couldn’t hold
back the tears.
It was a hot day!, but after 28 minutes, Mexican player Omar Bravo scored the first goal. “Gooooooooal!”
was heard from the first five rows. If there’s something Mexican can do well it is yell and celebrate, and it
is not just me saying it: everybody celebrated the first goal with sombreros and rattles. Behind us, there
were some Germans who seemed to be supporting the Mexican team, but never got up from their seats;
one of them had tickets for the Mexico-Angola game to take place on Friday, June 16th. Eight minutes
later, the ones frantically screaming were the Iranians: “Gooooooooal!” Emotions were rising like boiling
water. In front of me was a family, the lady was Mexican; the man was definitely German. He was the
only one who had a sombrero Mariachi style, green shirt, and the Mexican flag hanging from a pole. He
looked more Mexican than any of us! All of a sudden, he got up, waved the flag and yelled “Long live
Mexico!” All of us replied “Long live Mexicoooooo!” The German people love us!, I thought. After the
second half, the Iranian players seemed tired, which caused the second Mexican goal by Antonio Naelson
“Zinha,” and then the third goal, again by Omar Bravo. Mexico won the game 3-1.
We couldn’t believe it! Mexicans hugged and congratulated each other, just like in a Mass, when
everybody wishes peace to each other. After the game was over, those who wanted got their flags out
and went with us downtown singing our victory. The city’s downtown was crowded; from restaurants it
could be heard: “Mexico, Mexico!” Simply put, the emotion of feeling so proud to be Mexican and so far
from our land was indescribable.
Original article written in Spanish. English translation by Eduardo Barraza.
Cup Germany 2006 on Sunday, June 10th. The emotion was double: the weather had reached 25 and 30
Centigrade! The forecast for the next day: even better! Nevertheless, the day before the game I stayed
home. As a university student I had to complete some assignments. I had already made some
arrangements with other Mexican friends: “tomorrow, will go to Frankfurt!” It is only 20 minutes away,
and I’d been informed already that the Germans were able to amaze people one more time: a large
group of technicians and the City of Frankfurt installed a giant screen floating in the middle of the Neckar
River, an arm of the Rhine River, which divides the city of Frankfurt at the north and south. At the north
bank of the river they installed grandstands for approximately 1,000 people. That was our plan: to watch
the game from there. Since the main train station isn’t too far from the big screen, we didn’t think twice
and decided to head there walking. Besides that, it was going to be the first time in a very a long time
that my skin would see the sunlight.
If there is a country that Germans love, it is Mexico. In the seven years I’ve been living in Germany, I
haven’t had a greater happiness than to see the smiles and the expression of the Germans when they
see our Mexican flag. In the fifteen-minute walk towards the river, whether it was a German, an Arab
citizen, or a person of any nationality, they would yell “Mexico, Mexico!” when they saw my friend’s
boyfriend –who’s ascendance is Japanese-German– wrapped himself in the Mexican flag, and wearing the
traditional Mexican hat of the sleepy Mexican character who is portrayed sitting next to a cactus. “Mexico,
Mexico!” We could feel the chanting! If there’s something Mexicans can be proud of abroad (at least in
Europe) is that: wherever we go, they like us!
To tell the truth, we were expecting to see more of our countrymen. But as we were approaching the
river and the grandstands, we could see more Iranians. The Iranian population in Germany is not a big as
the Turkish, for example, but since Iranians citizens came seeking asylum to Germany in the 70’s, their
growth has been inevitable. Once we were in the grandstands, and after being controlled by the security
personnel –every single one, without exception– we decided to look for more of our countrymen to get
together with them, otherwise we would go unnoticed! What is more, the colors of our Mexican flag and
the paint colors many Mexican and Iranians fans used to paint their faces were the same! This without
also taking into consideration, that the physical characteristics between Mexican and Iranians don’t
differentiate much from each other. Every time we saw other Mexicans, we yelled at them: “stay with us;
let’s concentrate in the same spot!”
An hour before the Mexico vs. Iran soccer game would begin, we amounted only to about 20 Mexicans.
Although more and more were coming, we were still a minority. Finally, after Netherlands defeated
Serbia, fans from both teams left the grandstands quickly. We barely filled six rows, but the chanting
gave the impression that we were more. Of course, we were surrounded by Iranians, but we never felt it
that way. On the giant screen, the Mexican team could be seen; cheering and whistling could be heard,
as well as some flags waving. Listening to the Mexican national anthem was for me one of the most
emotional moments. Perhaps because of the distance of many years away from Mexico, I couldn’t hold
back the tears.
It was a hot day!, but after 28 minutes, Mexican player Omar Bravo scored the first goal. “Gooooooooal!”
was heard from the first five rows. If there’s something Mexican can do well it is yell and celebrate, and it
is not just me saying it: everybody celebrated the first goal with sombreros and rattles. Behind us, there
were some Germans who seemed to be supporting the Mexican team, but never got up from their seats;
one of them had tickets for the Mexico-Angola game to take place on Friday, June 16th. Eight minutes
later, the ones frantically screaming were the Iranians: “Gooooooooal!” Emotions were rising like boiling
water. In front of me was a family, the lady was Mexican; the man was definitely German. He was the
only one who had a sombrero Mariachi style, green shirt, and the Mexican flag hanging from a pole. He
looked more Mexican than any of us! All of a sudden, he got up, waved the flag and yelled “Long live
Mexico!” All of us replied “Long live Mexicoooooo!” The German people love us!, I thought. After the
second half, the Iranian players seemed tired, which caused the second Mexican goal by Antonio Naelson
“Zinha,” and then the third goal, again by Omar Bravo. Mexico won the game 3-1.
We couldn’t believe it! Mexicans hugged and congratulated each other, just like in a Mass, when
everybody wishes peace to each other. After the game was over, those who wanted got their flags out
and went with us downtown singing our victory. The city’s downtown was crowded; from restaurants it
could be heard: “Mexico, Mexico!” Simply put, the emotion of feeling so proud to be Mexican and so far
from our land was indescribable.
Original article written in Spanish. English translation by Eduardo Barraza.
Published by the Hispanic Institute of Social Issues in Phoenix, Arizona
| HISTORY IS ABOUT TO CHANGE Grassroots Journalism |
|
Irma Sofía Navarro Viloria is a political scientist graduated
from the University of Darmstadt, Germany where she has
resided for more than 10 years. She is a frequent
Barriozona contributor.
from the University of Darmstadt, Germany where she has
resided for more than 10 years. She is a frequent
Barriozona contributor.
