July 2010. Three friends travelling for different reasons in Europe decided to meet in Barcelona to watch the World Cup final.
Of course, the desire was to follow the World Cup's predictable final in South Africa: Spain vs Brazil.
As rationality goes into a coma (and leaves the field) every four years, that game has never occurred. Only one side lived up to the expectations, and so, the Spaniards faced the Dutch for a battle over the first title of both.
The three friends did not estimate what they were to experience while chasing the World Cup atmosphere in Barcelona's streets.
The final was taking place on a Sunday and, two days before, a gigantic manifestation took to the streets of the Catalan capital. The biggest in history, until that date. Almost half a million people roared for Catalonia's independence, waving flags and singing songs in favour of detachment from Spain.
Flyer distributed at the event in 2010
Among the protesters, there was a group dressed in a different Canarinho shirt: “Catalunya Al Mundial Brasil 2014”, they shouted. Their desire for the Catalan National Team was to join FIFA and thus had chances to play in the Cup in Brazil, four years from that day. The initiative didn’t triumph, but it was another clear example for two things: how football is important in Catalunya, and the way the Catalans saw themselves, as a group, as a football nation.
Another highlight at the event was the presence of flags from the Netherlands. Spain was due to face the Dutch national team in 48 hours. It wasn’t about going against their own country for the protesters, and it was absolutely obligatory to support Spain’s opponent and raise its flag.
In this atmosphere of apparent indifference to Spain’s unprecedented achievement (playing a World Cup final), it was no easy task to find a precise indication of a decent place to watch the final in Barcelona.
On Sunday morning, between men in flip flops buying newspaper and women walking with their dogs on the street, the blasé responses prevailed the Catalan attitude: “Hmmm, I don't know if there will be anything in Plaça de Catalunya…”, “certainly not on the Ramblas…”, “perdón, pero que partido?”.
It became clear when a young lady, who quietly smoked her cigarette on a sidewalk, indicated: “Try Plaça de Espanya.”
Red Line 1 of the Subway, Espanya Station. An ocean of people, comparable to the manifestation of two days before, awaited the game's beginning in front of a huge screen. So many people, probably above expectations that they had to install a second monitor to broadcast the game.
De Jong knocked down Xabi Alonso, Arjen Robben missed two incredible chances to score. Andrés Iniesta paid tribute to his friend Dani Jarque in celebrating the goal earned the unprecedented world title for Spain.
Plaça de España was overcrowded, and fireworks were spread all over the city. Barcelona's streets celebrated for hours through the night, as Sunday entered Monday, as it was a Saturday night.
That was a weekend in Catalonia.
One day, people ignored Spain, wishing their independence and supporting the Netherlands in the World Cup final.
When the match is over: happiness takes the city, with the emotion that such a unique moment, as winning the Mundial, deserves.
In today’s tense times, where the sides are in the full contest for power and independence, it's hard to understand the ambiguity of what happened through those days in July 2010.
Nevertheless, during a World Cup, or a match for Independence, you don’t have to find rationality or explanations, because there aren’t. And that’s the beauty of it.
Waiting for the World Cup. Plaça de Espanya in Barcelona, Catalonia. | Fábio Felice — 2010
Fábio Felice is a brazilian football fan that drives his life calendar according to the World Cup countdown. Follow him here.