Football Turns Strangers into Brothers: The Not-So-Secret Emotional world of Football Fans
May 30by Joyce Wachau Chege
When Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks of ‘The Danger of a Single Story’, it puts weight to this particular piece because we have grown in patriarchal societies that have always defined who and what we need to be. For men, patriarchy has long tasted sweet with a touch of masculinity. ‘Men do not cry; men are the head of the house; men do not show their weaknesses; men this, men that.’ Such are the phrases we hear day in, day out, the side of the story that has stuck with us all.
Enter football. And for those 90 minutes, no one matters, nothing else matters. All those walls built high up come tumbling down. The sport creates a space where men can freely exist without being judged by the society. A space where emotions of joy, disappointment, anger, hope, all come surfacing, like a wild horse that doesn’t need taming. Universally shared experiences that cut across the football world, from the young to the old.
To be honest, I have never understood the concept of football. If I were to be asked, it is a pitch, men running around chasing a ball, trying to outscore each other. And at this point, I can hear and telepathically feel men ready to take up arms saying it’s more than that and I agree with them. Just because I don’t understand, doesn’t mean I am oblivious to the sheer excitement they express when its’s about football.
Arsenal recently won their first English Premier League trophy in 22 years. The electric buzz and energy around the office was undeniable. Arsenal fans walking around beating their chests, their rivals on the other hand, quiet, as if waiting to be provoked for them to erupt. Bittersweet relationship.
I go desk by desk, intentionally talking to every guy, trying to find out their favourite teams and what it is that they love about football.
1st guy: I support both Real Madrid and Manchester United. Football is a source of enjoyment for me. When I was young, the most famous players were Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, something that made me a football fan. Seeing rivals play against each other is very exhilarating.
2nd guy: I am a Liverpool fan. Watching the game together is enjoyable and nothing beats the propaganda and banters from rival fans.
3rd guy: Representing Manchester United here! Football is the only sport I am well familiar with and it is very entertaining.
4th guy: Definitely Manchester City. The games are a huge stress reliever for me and fun for someone like me who loves to play. I get to improve my skills.
5th guy: Big team here! We are Arsenal! We are the Gooners! Football is my second love, after my darling wife. It refreshes my mind.
6th guy: I wholly support Arsenal. At times, men use football as an excuse to get away from their girlfriends. Also, note that most ladies usually support their boyfriends’ teams.
7th guy: I love Arsenal. I am very passionate about the team, since I was young. If they have a match late in the night, I will stay up watching until the very last whistle.
One thing was constant. The excitement in their voices, the body movement and the beaming in their eyes as they described all these to me. It made me smile and at the same time as I walked away, I shook my head and whispered to myself how men are only loyal to their barbers and football teams.
Relationships have been known to end all because, “Why do you never give me the same attention you give your team?” Sounds familiar, right? Only to giggle while hidden away when his favourite team is defeated.
Somewhere in between the fandom rivalry, the chanting, the analysis debates, the flashy jerseys, is a sense of belonging, a thriving brotherhood, a shared human connection from one corner of the world to another, where strangers have become brothers and openly show their emotions to the world.
