search for something...

search for something you might like...

FIFA, Qatar and Me Toon Traveler Goggleboxes the World Cup Final in Malaga

FIFA, Qatar and Me

Toon Traveler Goggleboxes the World Cup Final in Malaga

by Toon Traveller, Travel Correspondent
first published: January, 2023

approximate reading time: minutes

...by kick-off time, I was all galleried out, Picassoed off, and hungry...

Football’s Fiesta may be over but FIFA’s debasement of The Beautiful Game continues unabated. I caught Infantino’s cringeworthy comments on love, death and human rights. It reinforced my decision not to watch any Qatar World Cup games. Months before, my World Cup plans were… Chile, 7 hours behind Qatar, daylight games, galleries to visit, sights to see. Sadly post COVID times, fuel costs, testing fears, pent up demand all contrived to kibosh that plan, too damned expensive, Andalucía would have to do. 

Jerez in torrential rain, late galleries to fill the time, eats in a no TV restaurant. The cafés, Moroccan fan filled. Spain out, plaza filled with yells and cheers or jeers.  Me, deep into local tapas,  fish, ham, salad and olives, a great football diversion.

On the day of the final, I made it to Malaga. Once broken, on its knees, but now a hip happening delight. Galleries on every corner, museums in every plaza, there’s always a World Cup escape. 

Sadly by kick-off time, I was all galleried out, Picassoed off, and hungry. Why can’t those footballers get out of bed earlier and get on with the game? A restaurant with a window seat, iced tea, berenjanas fritas…  Window opposite, shutters ajar, waves of blue and white. 

Couldn’t see the TV, nor hear the commentary, the reactions of the fans told a story, a real live blog in Malaga’s old town backstreets. Whoops, screams, hands to head, leaps of joy, screams, delight, fear, flag stuffed into mouth, hugs… A VAR review?  Fists waved, leaps, tables swayed, then silence, that stilled moment  ‘the goal keepers fear of the penalty kick’. Fans, steady nerves, hands over mouth, heads on shoulders. Sharp intake of breath, silence, anticipation, and then,  explosion, roars, hugs, table standing, flags, leaps, shirts off, ecstasy.   

Argentina  1    France  0.  

Obvious.

Who scored?  no idea, was it really a penalty? didn’t really care, just captivated by watching this mix of old and young, united as one, drinking, eating, cheering, swaying. 

Screams, anger, disbelief. It’s a close game? Is it a close game? No real sense of a team running away with it, the Azure y Blanco quieted, long passages of patient play? Slender lead, too little excitement. Tapas eaten, a sherry, a roar, tension, nodding reassurance,a second Argentine goal, more joy, more hugs, more celebrations.   

2 - 0 up, it looked like game over. Time ticked away. 

Game over? Someone forgot to tell the French, from somewhere, a street away, a yell, a squeal  “OOOOuuuuiieee” “Ceeee, eeeeee”. 

The French had pulled one back?  2 – 1 - heard an earworm…  “Don’t stop believing”. Yeah a French theme song, was there a VAR review. In the window, fear, anguish, hugged lovers, friends, faces strained, hands to heads, eyes covered, away from the screen. Watch checked, 10 minutes to go, what was happening, what the fuck. Heads down, breath held. “NOOOOOOOO”, seated, collapsed,  faces down, flags hugged, blue and white shirts sucked and kissed. Shaking heads, shoulders cried on. 

Then seconds later “Ouiiiiiiii”, from a bar somewhere in the sun shaded distance. 

Around me faces ashen in anguish, in shock and disbelief. There were tears.

A call and a VAR review.  French penalty! Taken, buried and an Argentine wave of despair.  

I really had no clue, I sensed there’d been a French goal. Know that losing look from Deepdale. I knew that waning of hope, fear of victory slipping through grasping fingers. 

I settled, the mood across the alley, palpably subdued. Were the Argentines starting to doubt, to anguish, to fear? 

Through the windows there were anxious faces.

Around me staff were stacking tables, chairs, and sweeping up, closing time. 

I  zigzagged through Malaga’s hidden alleys. Empty. Bars threw smokers out,excited machine gun Spanish filled the air, not a great Spanish speaker, odd the word gave a clue, extra time. 

Some Faces showed despair, others elation, but extra time, how, why, what. Temptation to pop in sip a fino, catch up, yeah there was there. I’d avoided all the games so far, but this was too much. I Found a quiet square, and rested up to the sound  of more whoops and yells, “Gooooooooaaaaaaallllllllaaaaaa”, you only need to hear that from a radio, bar, car, to it was 3 –2 Passion told, Argentina scored. Jesus it was tense, what had happened , what was going on, struggling to cope, back to the hotel to hide.

20 minutes later, darkened room, yelling voices outside, honking horns, songs. Elation battering the windows, wot the fucking fuck, I checked the TV, 3-3 and penalties, Two French goals in a minute, so that’s what happened. 

Dazed and confused, sad I’d missed what must have been a great game. 

Having a real live “Gogglebox” experience, was one that I’ll never be able to repeat, and one that was in it’s own way magical, and unique.

After all, unique is the part of a real trip experience that’ll live for years.

Toon Traveller
Travel Correspondent

Born - happy family, school great mates still see 7 / 8 in year, degreed, beer n fun, work was lazy but usually happy, retired. Learning from mum and dads travel exploits.
about Toon Traveller »»

Pete Williams web banner

RECENT STORIES

RANDOM READS

All About and Contributors

HELP OUTSIDELEFT

Outsideleft exists on a precarious no budget budget. We are interested in hearing from deep and deeper pocket types willing to underwrite our cultural vulture activity. We're not so interested in plastering your product all over our stories, but something more subtle and dignified for all parties concerned. Contact us and let's talk. [HELP OUTSIDELEFT]

WRITE FOR OUTSIDELEFT

If Outsideleft had arms they would always be wide open and welcoming to new writers and new ideas. If you've got something to say, something a small dank corner of the world needs to know about, a poem to publish, a book review, a short story, if you love music or the arts or anything else, write something about it and send it along. Of course we don't have anything as conformist as a budget here. But we'd love to see what you can do. Write for Outsideleft, do. [SUBMISSIONS FORM HERE]

WRITERS thru' the Years

Agata Makiela, Alan Devey, Alan Rider, Alex V. Cook, Ancient Champion, Andy Allison, Annemiek, Becca Kelly, Belle Plankton, Bruce Bailey, Caiomhin Millar, Cassie Thomas, Chantal, Cheiron Coelho, Chris Connolly, Christian Present, Damon Hayhurst, Dan Breen, Danny Rose, David Hackney, David O'Byrne, Denni Boyd, Dirty Lillie, DJ Fuzzyfelt, Dr. Rich, Dr. Richard Bennett, Duncan Jones, Erin, Erin Pipes, Erin Scott, Gracey Babs, Graham Baker, Guilaine Arts, H.xx, Hamilton High, Henderson Downing, Holly Martins, J. Charreaux, J.Lee, Jay Lewis, Jaycentee, Jennifer Lynn, Jenny McCann, Jeremy Gluck, Jez Collins, Joe Ambrose, John Robinson, Jonathan Thornton, Julie O, Karl Morgan, Katherine Pargeter, Kelsey Osgood, Kevin McHugh, Kiah Cranston, Kleo Kay, Lake, Lee Paul, Luke Skinner, Malcolm, Marek Pytel, Mark Piggott, Martin Devenney, Meave Haughey, Michelle Williams, Mike Fox, mindy strouse, Neil Campbell, Neil Scott, Ogglypoogly, OL House Writer, Pam, Paul Burns, Paul Hawkins, Paul Mortimer, Paul Quigley, Peter Williams, Pixie McMowat, Pixievic, Rene Williams, Richard John Walker, Rick Casson, Rikki Stein, Ronan Crinion, Rowena Murphy, Ruby Lake, Ryan 'RJO' Stewart, Samantha Charles, Seth Sherwood, Shane O'Reilly, Sheridan Coyle, Sofia Ribeiro Willcox, Sophia Satchell-Baeza, Spanish Pantalones, Speedie John, Spencer Kansa, Steve McCarthy, The Conversation, Tim London, Tim Sparks, Tony Fletcher, Toon Traveller, Trevi, Urs Lerch, Wayne Dean-Richards, and founders, Alarcon & Lamontpaul

OUTSIDELEFT UNIVERSE

Last NIght of the LTB Showrooms
OUTSIDELEFT Night Out
weekend

outsideleft content is not for everyone