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New York, United States – Bleary-eyed supporters began gathering early Sunday morning in Midtown Manhattan — and across the city — ahead of the FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.
Beating drums, linking arms and breaking out into spontaneous chants, fans showed hope, but also some nerves, that their teams would give them a reason to party the night away.
Nicolas Oliver, 21, a Spanish national living in Quebec, said he was “feeling good” before the game.
“But I believe we will win today,” he said.
“The last time we won, I was five years old,” he said, referring to 2010. “I remember that day very well. I want to feel the same – everyone was united, and we put aside all the differences we have and lived together without problems, for one day.”
“I am very far from home.
Seventeen-year-old Argentine fan Mohamed Zidan, originally from Hama, Syria, but living in Springfield, Massachusetts, decided to go to NYC for a game.
“I just got here 6 hours ago. It’s my first time in New York. We’re walking and eating because the city is so big!”
“I’m very happy. We’re going to Times Square to celebrate with the fans,” he said.
Paola Belmonta, 23, from the south of Spain, is experiencing the city for the first time.
“It’s been great but stressful,” said Belmonta, who lives in Virginia during the summer.
He was confident that his favorite player, 23-year-old midfielder Pedro, would take the team to victory.
“Spain will take this!” he said.
Alex Roma, 50, originally from Argentina but living in Washington, DC, for 20 years, wasn’t sure.
“Spain is not an easy team, neither is Argentina.”
He said: “We showed a lot of passion in the last few minutes. “Until the last breath, we are fighting and trying to win.”
However, he did not expect to be here this time.
“I didn’t expect him to play at this level,” he said.
“I thought he would just relax, play a few minutes in the second half. But he has been amazing. He is showing that he is the best player at the World Cup at the age of 39, and it is not surprising.”
‘The World Cup is for New Yorkers’
The competition, which has been held in three countries, has also provided an opportunity for Mayor Zohran Mamdani to showcase her progressive and inspirational message to the world. It was a job he seemed to enjoy.
In a city already troubled by the New York Knicks’ National Basketball Association championship, the Democratic Socialist and New York’s first Muslim mayor vowed a World Cup that prioritized local attendance.
This included the opportunity to go cheap ticketsdeals with local restaurants to provide affordable meals, as well as public viewing parties in all five states.
“We said from the beginning that the World Cup is for New Yorkers,” said Mamdani, who has appeared at viewing parties in the city, including at Rikers Island jail for the Argentina-England final.
“In international cities, you didn’t need a lot of money to be part of an international game,” Mamdani said.
The emphasis on inclusion among New York’s diverse population — where at least 700 languages are spoken — lends another dimension to the sometimes caustic the message of the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Trump’s strict immigration policies led to the flow of foreign nationals difficult, or impossible. Even the officials and staff of the team were not spared, and Somali referee Omar Artan refused to enter the country.
The ban on the Iranian national team by its management, which caused their camp to be moved to Mexico, giving them only a short time in the US for their games, has also drawn the ire of some fans.
Trump arrived in New York City on Friday, appearing alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino at Trump Tower in Manhattan.
Both he and Mamdani planned to attend the final on Sunday at the New York New Jersey Stadium, known as MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford.
