World Cup fans turn
out to watch final at Soldier Field
July 11, 2010
BY DAVID ROEDER droeder@suntimes.com
The international roots of Chicagoans appeared on
colorful display Sunday at Soldier Field for a public
viewing of the World Cup final.
More than 5,000 fans came to the stadium to watch the
game on the monitors and scoreboards while also rooting
for kids playing a soccer tournament on the hallowed
turf. An organizer said 45 squads took part in the
Illinois Youth Soccer event.
They cheered for the nations of their birth or their
parents’ birth. Many transferred loyalties from
countries eliminated from cup contention.
For some, it was the choice between watching the Spain-vs.-Netherlands
final in an air-conditioned bar or outdoors with
vuvuzelas strumming the eardrums.
Why choose Soldier Field? “That was my question
exactly,” joked Mary Duggan, who showed up with sisters
Clare and Annie, all resplendent in Netherlands orange.
Clare’s determination clearly won out.
“I just knew that there are hundreds of thousands of
people in the streets of Amsterdam,” Claire Duggan said.
“I wanted to be where there was a crowd and a
celebration.”
The sisters divide their time between the Beverly
neighborhood and Holland as they work on international
distribution for their small cosmetics business. Their
signature product is Life Stinks deodorant, which might
have captured the mood in Amsterdam after Spain won 1-0,
scoring in extra time.
The grinder of a match typified why many Americans just
don’t get soccer, with its endless running all for
naught.
But Amer Hmoud sure gets it. He came all the way from
San Diego to commune with fellow soccer partisans.
Wrapping himself in a Spanish flag, Hmoud said it was
his first time in Chicago and that he came here just for
the World Cup.
“Chicago’s a better city for watching the World Cup,”
Hmoud said. “It’s got a much better atmosphere than San
Diego.”
Also cheering for Spain and wearing its colors head to
toe was Erika Teijeiro-Ficht of Chicago, who said
Americans just don’t give soccer a chance. “If you give
it a try, you’ll fall in love with it,” she said.
Chicago World Cup LLC arranged the event with help from
the consulate of South Africa, host of the World Cup
final. Several private companies were co-sponsors,
including the Chicago Sun-Times.
Mary Jane Bender, executive director of Illinois Youth
Soccer, said it was the first time a kids’ tournament
here was timed with the World Cup. “It’s a way for the
families to have fun, but it’s also an education for the
players,” who watch the players on television and pick
up their techniques, she said.
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