Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Boca! Boca!! Boca!!!

If there is one thing, just one thing that unites all Argentines - it is a passionate love for God.

No, not that God.

Diego Maradona.

The greatest footballer to ever live, scoring the most beautiful goal in the most beautiful game was an Argentine and is revered across Argentina. And nowhere more than in the slums of Buenos Aires in a region called Boca.

It is the Boca football club where Maradona wowed the crowds in La Bombonera, the most famous football stadium in the world. Best player in the world, best stadium in the world - of course I went.

Boca Juniors Football Club played Estudiantes on April 3rd, 2010. And Torah Kachur was in attendance. It is a pretty normal league game but you'd never know. Passionate fans singing, dancing, heckling and making as much noise as one human can possibly do for 3 entire hours. A football match only lasts 90 minutes, but the crowds assemble long before and stay long after to show their loyalty and their love for the beautiful game.



It was a regular league game, but it was far from a normal game. Two quick goals early in the match made the score 1-1, where it stayed for the better part of the match with the visiting squad playing a slow and boring style content to sit back and take the tie in the rival stadium.

Then, late in the 2nd half, Boca decided to take charge and start taking risks - a few quick chances didn't materialize but at least the crowd jumped a bit more than their usual 100 times per minute. Then, in spectacular fashion - Boca Juniors scored with 15 seconds remaining in the match.

Understandably, the crowd went beserk.... an old man fell on top of me, beer was sprayed everywhere, a woman started crying. For a regular season match.

Oilers fans are pathetic.

1 comment:

  1. OH MY GOD! I'm soooo jealous!!!! Aussie Rules still has nothing on Football!

    ReplyDelete