… and with today’s match against Germany, England kisses the World Cup goodbye. Italy sadly went out last week and now we’re left to choose a country to support. Considering that the UK is my second country, which one shall I go for? Maybe Argentina – as a tribute to all Italian ancestors that left the Bel Paese to start a new life overseas?
It’s not that here at Rainy London football is such an important matter. But I do think the World Cup is one of the few events truly able to highlight patriotic feelings in people who are watching it. Italians abroad gathers in a local pub – we did – to support the Azzurri, the English put red-and-white flags on the windows of their cars and in all supermarkets beer is at its cheapest prices; I’m sure in Spain people take time off work for the match and who knows what they’re doing in Brazil or even Ghana to show some love to their beloved, national team.
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been gone from your home country, how bad the economy, politics or even the weather are: with the first kick-off of the World Cup, we are all at home again… and time stops for all those 90 mins.
Enjoy the beautiful game – if your country is still in the championship!!!
Val
Fact moment re Argentina:Italian immigrants arrived in Argentina mainly from the Piedmont, Veneto and Lombardy. Up to 25 million Argentinians have some degree of Italian descent, around 60% of the total population – amazing!