A
alexk
Guest
If anyone had told me I could be going to Russia, I would have asked them to get their head checked. But destiny, as they say, has a funny way and there I was to witness the epic battle between France and Croatia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, at Luzhniki, Moscow yesterday. The experience is not one that I will soon forget.
Coming from the Caribbean, I was most impressed by the level of organisation that went into such a mega-sporting event. There didn’t seem to be any detail that was overlooked.
Russia waived its normal visa entry requirement for football fans, so all I had to do was get tickets and a fan pass was issued. That pass gave the holder entry into Russia and to the match venues. It also gave the holder free use of the metro on game days—and the Russian metro certainly proved it was up to the task of moving thousands and thousands of people without barely a hiccup.
Another popular saying is that Trinis are like salt: we in everything. It, therefore, came as no surprise to me to see at the second semifinal match between England and Croatia, there was Lystra Mohansingh proudly waving her Trini flag in the front row. We later connected on Facebook and I learned that she had migrated to Moscow from Trinidad.
The matches were so much more than they appear to be on the television. The venues open three hours before each match and I was in awe to see almost every country of the world represented; hearing accents I couldn’t recognise.
DJs and musicians created a party atmosphere, while patrons challenged each other to impromptu football matches or to see who had better skills with the ball. The love of the game truly transcended the language barrier.
Tens of thousands of fans transformed the stadium into a giant pulsing cell. There was no world outside while the match was on, and the 22 battling players were the nucleus of this magical being.
With the kick of the ball, they broke hearts or brought their country together. The uncertainty of defeat or victory left us all painfully at the edge of a constant see-saw that ingrained a sense of camaraderie in everyone there.
Even for me, who was not partial to any team, I couldn’t help by commiserating with the losing team and at the same time celebrate with the triumphant fans.
And did I say the Russians organised this thing well?
Imagine having to move 60,000 plus people leaving a venue at the same time. They did it seamlessly. Throughout the host cities, FIFA booths were also set up to provide information to tourists like myself. Signs and maps were everywhere to provide further guidance. Central Moscow itself was virtually transformed into the football mecca of the world. The World Cup brand was everywhere, from artistic displays, to fan zones (where you could show your football skills if you had the guts), to shop windows. Football fever was everywhere.
The World Cup also gave me the important opportunity to see what appeared to me to be the genuine warmth of the Russian people—something I did not expect. I was also absorbed into the culture and history that was apparent from touring Moscow and St Petersburg, Russia’s former capital city.
Security was also impressive. I felt safe everywhere I went in the host cities I visited. Overall it was clear that Russia was well prepared to host this event and to showcase its people and unique culture.
Hopefully, some notions created by the media will be dispelled. Indeed, I expected to spend most of my time drinking vodka and eating bad food, when I have had neither up to now.
Contended I leave this country, grateful and thinking about the only Russian word I learned—Spasibo—their expression of saying ‘thank you.’