The Beautiful [Local] Game

On Friday of last week, I paid about $10 to see my first official African soccer match, and it was worth every penny and more.

South Africa has around a dozen national league teams, the most popular being the Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs (rumored to be Mandela’s fave, as well). The local Cape Town team, however, is the Ajax, which plays at a stadium recently renovated for last years’ World Cup. No, not the huge awesome one near the ocean that looks like a giant, futuristic donut and just hosted U2 (Cape Town Stadium)– the tiny, crappier one in Athlone, the township in which I teach and am generally told to watch my back in during even the sun-shiniest hours of the day. Didn’t stop me from attending, however, and watching Ajax defeat the Free State Stars in a 1-0 victory (jetting them up to first in the league), all to the deafening call of those ridiculous horns and the beautiful beat of traditional African drums (which people just plop down on the bleachers and beat until their hands go numb)… not to mention some customary ref-heckling.

With no major safety concerns (that one homeless guy who kept swearing at no one in particular and eventually got ballsy enough to grab my friend’s leg before wandering off being the only exception), I’d definitely attend another game in Athlone. (Don’t worry, Dad. We left all our valuables at home, called a private cab, and had him waiting for us outside of the Stadium when we left the game 10 minutes early to avoid the crowds and crazies.) There’s something really amazing about attending a local soccer game in the neighborhood where the kids I teach actually live, surrounded by people who themselves live, breathe, and die by soccer. I feel as one with the community as a blonde American could, and that’s saying an awful lot.

Every since I started playing “football” when I was seven, I’ve loved watching the Beautiful Game. Nothing compares to watching it live in the first African country to hold the World Cup (and only just last summer), however, as there’s still a buzz in the air about it. Except perhaps watching it in that country’s giant, futuristic donut… that might be even more marvelous. Sigh, some day.