And I totally get it. I am not, upon first impression and later admission, someone who seems to care about sports at all. Being from San Diego, it's not like our home teams were something to brag about--sorry to say, please don't revoke my membership. I have never been an athlete and only played sports when they were required of us during P.E. classes in school. I never participate in office pools, can't remember the last time I went to a football/basketball/baseball game, and generally have no idea what is going on in American sports.
So when Le Roja steps onto the pitch, it seems the oddest thing in the world that I would be glued to a TV, jersey on, and ready to yell at every dive or celebrate every goal. I was so excited for the World Cup, I made a schedule of the matches and put them into my calendar. I even made a bracket, for crying out loud. On my social media outlets, I have not tried to hide how much I was anticipating the start of this tournament.
 |
| Tapas & Spain's first match of the World Cup 2014. |
And what about my preferences for club Real Madrid and country Spain? Many people will say that it's easy to love Spain's national team or that Real Madrid is an easy choice--they are champions, they are on top of the game, and doesn't everyone like to win? It's easy to support a team when they give you bragging rights, when they serve up championships like cake, when you get to ride those feel-good vibes of victory and success.
But the answer to these two questions are much simpler than that.
It was 2005 and I took my first flight into Europe--to Paris of all places--to meet my sister who was working abroad in Spain. After a trying few days in France, we made it to Madrid, where she was living. And it was in this beautiful country and this wonderful city, that I was...initiated, in the best possible way, to football.
And it was different than how I had seen the game played in the US, and the just die hard passion of the fans overwhelmed me. It was intoxicating to get caught up in the frenetic energy of the sport and the players and the fans. And the game, the game was simply beautiful. As cliche as it may sound, there really isn't another world that can adequately describe everything that the sport is. It was stunning to see.
Being in Madrid at the time, and with a certain forceful and insistent crowd, it was an easy choice to support Real Madrid. But if I had made my selection not based on the purest of intentions, then my decision to continue to support that team, even in the many years that have passed since I last step foot in that city, stems from the gratitude and the memory of what that city gave to me, what that country showed me, that first time I ventured into Europe.
That said, the last several years have been spectacular to witness as a fan of La Furia Roja. I have seen this "golden generation," this dynasty of kings, stamp their dominance of the game across the globe, have seen them seal their destinies under the weight of trophies, have seen them celebrate their victories in clouds of confetti. And more than that, what they have brought to the game is nothing short of spectacular.
And now that they are leaving the World Cup--the defending champions exiting at the group stage--there is talk about what this means for the team moving forward, about the defeat of tiki taka, of the end of an era. As a fan, it has been nothing short of heart-wrenching to see La Roja play like they did, because I knew they were capable of so so so much more. It wasn't supposed to end this way for them. It was tragic in every sense of the word. The only bright spot was today's final match against Australia, where we finally got a glimpse of what they were able to do. Some may say, a spark of their former selves.
But putting off all the questions about the future for La Roja, today's match was all about giving a proper send off for these players, this incredible group of athletes who have defined world-class soccer/football for this generation. Emotions of a different sort ran high this match, and for good reason. Because it wasn't just that Spain leaving the World Cup much sooner than anticipated, but because so many of these very players would never again play for Spain, would never step foot again on a pitch at the World Cup. After dominating the field, literally, for so many years, this roster of players would ever be seen together as a team again. In that respect only, it was an end of an era.
David Villa, for example, played his last match of his life for Spain, retiring from the international play, and after scoring Spain's first goal of the tournament, left the pitch in tears.
Many people, I know, are happy with Spain's loss. They want a new game, a new team at the top, and I completely understand that. Will them losing the World Cup make a difference in my support for them? Not at all. Now that Spain once again have something to prove, I believe this is a great opportunity for their growth. I am looking forward to the next Euro Cup.
In the meantime, I am just so grateful that I have been able to witness La Roja's greatness these last several years. They are a team that holds so much significance for me, and I support them with great affection. This is not the end--definitely not the end of an era--but a new beginning.
For me, they will always be kings. Gracias Por Todo. VIVA LA FURIA ROJA!
No comments:
Post a Comment