On the first Monday of April, Elias and Noel accompanied me to the first game of the Swedish professional soccer season. It was my first time watching a professional soccer match, and I loved it! Even in Sweden, a country not particularly known for its fantastic soccer league, I could see why soccer fans are the craziest, most enthusiastic sports fans in all the world.
Although firefighters and police officers were EVERYWHERE, it is not illegal to use firesticks or torches at the game. Smoke machines are used by fans, bananas are thrown onto the field (to mock the enemy team's name: Djurgården, or, "Animal Farm"). Drunkards climb onto the nets in between the field and the stands without any opposition. The place is on fire.
Thus, the 0-0 tie was not the thrilling score that most people were hoping for. But for me, this kind of thing is all about learning cultural lessons. I learned a few of the team chants, threw some confetti at the appropriate time, and ordered a hot dog all by myself: "Kan jag få en varmt korv, tack?"
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| mounted police prepared to break up a brawl or two hundred |
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| the bros, in AIK gear |
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| pre-game pandemonium |
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