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Makoto’s WC Diary
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Soccer World Cup
Makoto Asahara
Published 01.29
ATLANTA. 0-0 against Cape Verde in the opener and the pressure is palpable before the match against tricky Saudi Arabia.
Then Spain’s national team captain, Luis de la Fuente, mostly sat and joked on the press conference podium.
I can understand why he is so happy.
He’s in Atlanta.
– Huh, Atlanta?
When I told you what a good impression I got from Atlanta, Georgia during the Club World Cup last year, it often happened that acquaintances who traveled to the USA frowned and did not really understand what kind of charm I have seen in a place that many people only see as a big airport transfer hub (the airline Delta has its home in the city’s airport).
To confirm my first impression, it therefore felt most justified, as I pieced together my messy WC schedule, to squeeze in an Atlanta visit somewhere along the way.
So here I am, after jumping on the morning flight from Philadelphia, inside the Mercedes Benz Stadium with Spanish and Saudi journalists, waiting for a Saudi national team captain to hold a press conference before the meeting with Spain.
Spain’s ditto, Luis de la Fuente, held the box an hour ago.
And we can start there.
Over-East with Yamal issues
After a blunt 0-0 debut against Cape Verde, you could have thought that it would be a very stressed De la Fuente who stepped out in front of a large, Spanish press corps.
Rather the opposite.
The 64-year-old (who turns 65 tomorrow, which became a recurring theme during the press conference) laughed, joked and seemed to genuinely enjoy sitting up there on the podium.
At the same time that every second question was about a certain, specific 18-year-old.
– Lamine is doing well and that is the best news we could have received. He will play as much as we deem necessary. The most important thing is that he is back and charged to do something significant in this tournament, says De la Fuente regarding perhaps the most interesting question – how match fit and ready to start the Barcelona star actually is for tomorrow.
On another question, De la Fuente states that it could be anywhere from 56 to 62 minutes that Yamal has in him. The example team that the national team captain chooses in turn causes another Spanish journalist to ask if he hasn’t just given up on whether Yamal should start or not.
– He can start on the bench, we get an injury after a quarter of an hour, and replace him. out of many minutes he gets depends entirely on the match picture.
No, De la Fuente is not going to reveal anything.
Compared to artists
When another journalist starts bringing up Maradona/Messi comparisons, however, De la Fuente roars out a slightly longer fiery speech in which he states that an 18-year-old Yamal is still developing and should not be compared. Although in that fiery speech he also declares the Barça talent to be genius and draws parallels to Salvador Dalí and Michelangelo.
When the press conference is over? Then De la Fuente hugs both the one and the other, receives a present, and trudges quite calmly and cheerfully on towards new match preparations.
Ahead of Spain’s second straight match at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Wondering if that’s actually why he’s so happy.
A city that actually welcomes the WC
The huge super arena in the middle of downtown Atlanta is one of the most architecturally modern and awesome in the tournament. One of the most modern in the whole world, I even dare to say.
An arena where it is actually faster to walk from town (just over a quarter of an hour) than to travel by vehicle.
An arena that is the only one of those I have visited where you are really greeted with a smile, helpfulness and “southern hospitality” at every security check and door rather than tired looks and reprimands.
An arena that actually also boasts “soccer” rather than just the Americans’ “football” (as is the case in many other American cities).
An arena where the city’s tourist office is actually very present in the press center (which is not in a tent but in a large, fresh and air-conditioned exhibition hall) to try to promote what the city has to offer with restaurant tips and other things.
A city that also, when I pass it on the way to the arena, has a Fanzone that is actually packed with people and life – despite the fact that there is not even a match to be played there on the same day. A Fanzone they built in the middle of town in Centennial Olympic Park, the Olympic park built for the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. And actually (which shouldn’t be a point but has been) is free to go to.
This is an American city that seems to welcome and embrace the World Cup event in all seriousness.
Although ticket prices are what they are here too, of course.
So no, so far I see no reason to revise the first impression from last year.
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