Now, if you read that on a big bumper sticker on the back of my car, you might think I had joined a political party, or donated to a charity, or adopted some other noble cause. That’s what I thought when I started noticing the red-and-white bumper stickers all over Costa Rica (Yo apoyo la Sele!). Soon, however, I realized the “Sele” is actually Costa Rica’s national soccer team – the “Selection” – and that all those people I thought had taken some moral position were simply stating their loyalty to soccer. Much like “Go Bucks “ or “TBDBITL” I suppose. Way to take a stand, people. Regardless, the overwhelming presence of the “Sele” indicates the strength of the soccer culture here in Costa Rica.
This week was the start of the World Cup! Costa Rica played in the first match against Germany, and believe me when I say the Ticos were ready. (Tico is the local name for Costa Rican.) Everywhere you looked, companies were rushing to voice their support of the Sele; salespeople across San Jose were decked out in red ‘official sponsor’ shirts. This despite the fact that the team is apparently desperate for funds, casting some doubt as to the real commitment of all those supporters. Even Coca-Cola comes in soccer-ball shaped plastic bottles right now. Amazing.
I myself am not big on soccer – but please don’t tell the Ticos. I bought a Costa Rican jersey the other day because it was cute and because it was six dollars. I was excited about Costa Rica’s appearance mainly in hopes that it would lead to the drunken victory parade that inevitably follows a win. Everyone rushes from the bars straight to their cars and drives honking around town in one big bumper-to-bumper ruckus. Again, amazing, if a little unsettling (and best viewed from a safe distance).
They take their soccer so seriously here that the government declared the game a national holiday. Since the Cup is in Germany this year, kickoff was at 9:50 in the morning. Bars opened at 8 AM for pregame, and everyone in the country got three hours of paid leave to watch the game. Paid time off for a sporting event! Alas, this applied only to the opening match. Although employers were also required to give employees time off for the other games in the series, only the first was paid.
And it’s not just the Ticos: my classmate from the US, a longtime soccer player, is so excited he plans to watch every game. He’s actually cheering for Argentina, where he lived for a while and where soccer is truly a religion. When we pointed out that watching *all* the games would cost him nearly 100 hours of time he could otherwise spend on his thesis, he countered that if he writes only 200 words an hour – about 2 pages per game – he’ll have it done by the end of the tournament. So far the strategy is working out, but we’ll see how well he can multi-task once it gets to the final rounds.
So how did they do? The Ticos managed to hold their own against Germany, apparently a much better team playing in their home stadium. Everyone I spoke with after the game was thrilled that the Ticos scored two goals – to Germany’s four. Not a win, but not an embarrassment either. Put Costa Rica on the map for lots of Germans, anyways.
The game against Ecuador was … not so good. Apparently all the enthusiasm for the World Cup was marshaled solely to take on Germany, and the Ticos lost to Ecuador 0-3. The beautiful thing about it: the Ticos are still happy enough to cheer for Brazil or even Ecuador – when they’re not playing against Costa Rica – in a show of Latin American solidarity. Now that’s sportsmanship.
– Published in The Worthington News, 6/28/06 –
