With pleasing symmetry, and thanks to the right boot of a little balding Spaniard, in this post I am able to return to the subject of my first post. If you scroll right to the bottom of this page you'll find photos of the reaction in Ramallah in April to Barcelona's defeat of Real Madrid in El Clasico. Well last night the players of those two teams got together with a couple of mates and beat the best of the rest of the world. Naturally, and just as I predicted in that first post, things kicked off once again.
As baffling as it is to the foreigners in town, the enthusiasm with which the Palestinians celebrated Spain's victory was a joy to behold. This is all the more extraordinary when you consider that the vast majority have never been to Spain or for that matter met a Spaniard (and I bet most of the Spanish players have never heard of Palestine).
And its not just Spain - the car horns blared and the flags flew after the victories of Brazil, Ghana and even Germany. There is no such thing as a neutral fan here. Everyone picks a side and supports it as if it is their motherland. Often affiliations are openly political. When asked many will say that they will support the team from the poorest or downtrodden country.
This is hardly surprising in a land where absolutely everything is politicised. Others will say they pick the team who play the most attractive football. Needless to say England supporters were thin on the ground. (I think I was the only person cheering on the referee last night)
The best thing about the Palestinians enthusiasm for football is that it is infectious. I had a wonderful time watching in the pub surrounded by young men and women clad in red and yellow and was surprised to see the game dismissed by 'pundits' as boring and dour. There's no such as dull match in this town. Next time England get knocked out of the World Cup get yourself to Ramallah and join the party.
As baffling as it is to the foreigners in town, the enthusiasm with which the Palestinians celebrated Spain's victory was a joy to behold. This is all the more extraordinary when you consider that the vast majority have never been to Spain or for that matter met a Spaniard (and I bet most of the Spanish players have never heard of Palestine).
And its not just Spain - the car horns blared and the flags flew after the victories of Brazil, Ghana and even Germany. There is no such thing as a neutral fan here. Everyone picks a side and supports it as if it is their motherland. Often affiliations are openly political. When asked many will say that they will support the team from the poorest or downtrodden country.
This is hardly surprising in a land where absolutely everything is politicised. Others will say they pick the team who play the most attractive football. Needless to say England supporters were thin on the ground. (I think I was the only person cheering on the referee last night)
The best thing about the Palestinians enthusiasm for football is that it is infectious. I had a wonderful time watching in the pub surrounded by young men and women clad in red and yellow and was surprised to see the game dismissed by 'pundits' as boring and dour. There's no such as dull match in this town. Next time England get knocked out of the World Cup get yourself to Ramallah and join the party.
