Thirty-One Nil
Page 35
Many of these chapters found their nucleus in my reporting and it would not have been possible to travel so far and so wide without the various commissions given to me by various editors. Most of all I’d like to thank Richard Padula at the BBC World Service, Jason Stallman and Andrew Das at the New York Times, Gavin Hamilton from World Soccer, everyone at Delayed Gratification, Jonathan Heaf from GQ, Ben Wyatt, Dylan Reynolds and John Sinnott at CNN, Thomas Woods, Jeremy Lawrence and Louis Massarella from FourFourTwo.
Of course, Thirty One Nil was only a pipe dream without the continued support and help from my agent Rebecca Winfield, who dragged me over the finishing line, as well as Charlotte Atyeo at Bloomsbury who took a gamble on this even as the sound of deadlines whooshed by. I’m sorry for taking a few years off your life. I’ll make it up to you, somehow.
Without the support of my mum and dad I’d probably be living on the streets by now. They have put up with more chaos than a fully grown 34-year-old son should really be putting his parents through. Equally as supportive have been Laura Montague, Rob Reddy, Silviu and Odetta Totti and, in the early part of the book, Ana Piferrer Garcia and family. But mostly I’d like to thank Alina Totti, who read what I wrote, held my hand and put up with the madness as deadlines approached, passed by and approached again. I love you.
Finally, I do not have names for many of the people who helped me. But two in particular stand out. The volunteer medic who wiped the effects of tear gas from my eyes in Brazil and the young man who sheltered me from gunfire in Port Said. Just because you never told me your names doesn’t mean I have, or ever will, forget what you did.
James Montague, January 2014
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
When Friday Comes:
Football, War and Revolution in the Middle East
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
1. Tursunzode, Tajikistan, June 2011. The Palestine national team wait in the tunnel before their first Brazil 2014 qualification match against Afghanistan.
2. Al Ram, West Bank, July 2011. A packed Faisal al Husseini stadium watch the second leg of Palestine versus Afghanistan. It was Palestine’s first ever home World Cup match.
3. A member of the Afghanistan national team sits dejected after their 1-1 draw with Palestine.
4. Port au Prince, Haiti, September 2011. A hand-painted sign advertises Haiti’s first home match – a World Cup qualifier against the tiny US Virgin Islands – since an earthquake devastated the country killing hundreds of thousands of people.
5. An armed guard working for the Haiti Football Federation patrols the entrance to the Sylvio Cator stadium before Haiti’s final training session.
6. It was a cakewalk for Haiti, who ‘stomped’ on the US Virgin Islands 6-0 in front of a frenzied crowd. Haiti would finish second in their group and miss out on Brazil.
7. Kigali, Rwanda, November 2011. Ball boys waiting in the Amahoro Stadium for Rwanda’s qualification match against Eritrea.
8. The marching band, dressed in oversized uniforms, wait for their cue to play the Rwanda and Eritrea national anthems.
9. Rwanda and Eritrea’s captains exchange pennants before the game, which saw Rwanda progress to the next round. Most of the Eritrea team would later defect and claim political asylum abroad.
10. Zagreb, Croatia, March 2013. Ultra nationalist Croatian fans gather in Zagreb’s main square before their team’s match against archrivals Serbia. All away fans were banned for both games in Zagreb and Belgrade.
11. Žilina, Slovakia, September 2013. A young Bosnian ultra shows off his tattoos before his team’s 2-1 victory against Slovakia. The Dragons would go on to qualify for their first finals since independence.
12. Bucharest, Romania, September 2013. Fans of Steaua Bucharest arrive at Romania’s national stadium to confront supporters of Hungary, their historical rivals. Riots broke out throughout the city.
13. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 2013. Riot police regroup after firing tear gas, rubber bullets and flash grenades at protesters angry at the cost of hosting the World Cup.
14. Belo Horizonte, Brazil, June 2013. Two protesters are treated for tear gas blindness by volunteer medics after violence broke out during the Confederations Cup semi-final between Brazil and Uruguay, taking place nearby.
15. As many as 50,000 people had marched on the stadium. Buildings and cars were set on fire. The sign says ‘Deaths in hospital queues and money for the cup. Democracy.’
16. After nine hours the police regain the streets, arresting protesters and looters alike.
17. Apia, Samoa, November 2011. The American Samoa national team perform a Samoan war dance to celebrate beating Tonga 2-1. It was the team’s first ever victory after thirty straight losses, including 31-0 against Australia in 2001.
18. American Samoa’s star player was Jaiyah Saelua (centre). She became the first transgender player to start a World Cup match.
19. Tampa, Florida, United States, June 2012. The Antigua and Barbuda national team are rained off the pitch during their final training session before the tiny islands took on the United States at the Raymond James Stadium.
20. Cairo, Egypt, January 2013. Fans of Egyptian football club Al Ahly gather outside a billboard erected in tribute for the 72 supporters killed a year previously after a match in Port Said.
21. Cairo, Egypt, February 2013. Egypt coach Bob Bradley watches the first league match to take place since Port Said. The league had been cancelled for a year.
22. Alexandria, Egypt, June 2012. The Egypt national team assembles for a team photo before their first World Cup qualifier against Mozambique. After the Port Said tragedy all fans were banned from the stadiums.
23. Excited fans with their tickets before the match: Palestine versus Afghanistan.
24. United States versus Antigua and Barbuda.
25. Norway versus Iceland.
26 Romania versus Hungary.
1. Tursunzode, Tajikistan, June 2011. The Palestine national team wait in the tunnel before their first Brazil 2014 qualification match against Afghanistan.
2. Al Ram, West Bank, July 2011. A packed Faisal al Husseini stadium watch the second leg of Palestine versus Afghanistan. It was Palestine’s first ever home World Cup match.
3. A member of the Afghanistan national team sits dejected after their 1-1 draw with Palestine.
4. Port au Prince, Haiti, September 2011. A hand-painted sign advertises Haiti’s first home match – a World Cup qualifier against the tiny US Virgin Islands – since an earthquake devastated the country killing hundreds of thousands of people.
5. An armed guard working for the Haiti Football Federation patrols the entrance to the Sylvio Cator stadium before Haiti’s final training session.
6. It was a cakewalk for Haiti, who ‘stomped’ on the US Virgin Islands 6-0 in front of a frenzied crowd. Haiti would finish second in their group and miss out on Brazil.
7. Kigali, Rwanda, November 2011. Ball boys waiting in the Amahoro Stadium for Rwanda’s qualification match against Eritrea.
8. The marching band, dressed in oversized uniforms, wait for their cue to play the Rwanda and Eritrea national anthems.
9. Rwanda and Eritrea’s captains exchange pennants before the game, which saw Rwanda progress to the next round. Most of the Eritrea team would later defect and claim political asylum abroad.
10. Zagreb, Croatia, March 2013. Ultra nationalist Croatian fans gather in Zagreb’s main square before their team’s match against archrivals Serbia. All away fans were banned for both games in Zagreb and Belgrade.
11. Žilina, Slovakia, September 2013. A young Bosnian ultra shows off his tattoos before his team’s 2-1 victory against Slovakia. The Dragons would go on to qualify for their first finals since independence.
12. Bucharest, Romania, September 2013. Fans of Steaua Bucharest arrive at Romania’s national stadium to confront supporters of Hungary, their historical rivals. Riots broke out throughout the city.
13. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 2013. Rio
t police regroup after firing tear gas, rubber bullets and flash grenades at protesters angry at the cost of hosting the World Cup.
14. Belo Horizonte, Brazil, June 2013. Two protesters are treated for tear gas blindness by volunteer medics after violence broke out during the Confederations Cup semi-final between Brazil and Uruguay, taking place nearby.
15. As many as 50,000 people had marched on the stadium. Buildings and cars were set on fire. The sign says ‘Deaths in hospital queues and money for the cup. Democracy.’
16. After nine hours the police regain the streets, arresting protesters and looters alike.
17. Apia, Samoa, November 2011. The American Samoa national team perform a Samoan war dance to celebrate beating Tonga 2-1. It was the team’s first ever victory after thirty straight losses, including 31-0 against Australia in 2001.
18. American Samoa’s star player was Jaiyah Saelua (centre). She became the first transgender player to start a World Cup match.
19. Tampa, Florida, United States, June 2012. The Antigua and Barbuda national team are rained off the pitch during their final training session before the tiny islands took on the United States at the Raymond James Stadium.
20. Cairo, Egypt, January 2013. Fans of Egyptian football club Al Ahly gather outside a billboard erected in tribute for the 72 supporters killed a year previously after a match in Port Said.
21. Cairo, Egypt, February 2013. Egypt coach Bob Bradley watches the first league match to take place since Port Said. The league had been cancelled for a year.
22. Alexandria, Egypt, June 2012. The Egypt national team assembles for a team photo before their first World Cup qualifier against Mozambique. After the Port Said tragedy all fans were banned from the stadiums.
23. Excited fans with their tickets before the match: Palestine versus Afghanistan.
24. United States versus Antigua and Barbuda.
25. Norway versus Iceland.
26 Romania versus Hungary.
First published in Great Britain 2014
This electronic edition published in 2014 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Copyright © 2014 by James Montague
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