Olympic Football Summary

In response to an email from a friend today, I wrote the following and It seemed like a good summary of my trip to Old Trafford today.

I went to Old Trafford today to watch two Olympic football matches. 66,212 people were there. From many nations. The substitutes were clapped into the stadium. The teams were cheered onto the pitch. Whichever team scored, everyone applauded. Everyone was happy.

The Egyptians played New Zealand in game one: one all draw. Good game, great spirit. Many Egyptians there. Two rows down from me there was a posse of young Egyptians: faces painted with their flag, wearing their team shirt, banging a drum they'd brought with them, chanting and singing in Arabic. No one cared, everyone enjoyed it! Come half time, one of the cheer leaders had a bit of banter with some young children in the row in front of him ... perfect English.

The second game was Brazil v Belarus. Suddenly, half the stadium seemed to be Brazilians. Fantastic atmosphere. Superb skills from such young players. Time flew. Belarus scored, everyone cheered. Brazil equalised, everyone cheered but the Brazilians cheered louder still. Brazil won the match by three goals to one.

This is the Olympic spirit.

DW