Mundial Con Abuelito

Tomorrow starts the World Cup (Mundial for us Latinos) and I will probably watch the opening game in Bad Axe, MI. I will spend some time trying to get Cruz excited, and undoubtably will give up before kick off as I really want to see the game.

Not sure why, but the Mundial always tends to be an emotional time. I was reflecting this morning and got a little misty eyed. As I have written before, I don't always feel that "Latino" (Previous Blog: My Latino Introduction). One thing I was always into, futbol, or as I was taught to call it here in the States, Soccer.

Outside the Silverdome. Abuelito in the middle. 

It was my one Bolivian thing, my one real Latino thing I kept. I played soccer, and I enjoyed it, and I loved to watch it. In 1994 the USA hosted, it was a great time for so many reasons. It finally made soccer cool in the USA (well cooler at least). It was the first time in about 50 years that Bolivia qualified, and man we had a good team! It was the first time my Abuelitos came to the USA, and we got to go to a game (Brazil vs Sweden in the Silverdome).

We didn't get to watch in person, but we watched the games live, at our house. Bolivia vs Germany was the opening game of La Copa Mundial. I actually think it might be the reason why my family finally got cable at the house... (the 1990 World Cup I taped all the games at my Uncles house who had cable and we watched the games later).

I don't remember who sat where, but I like to remember that I sat with my pops, my abuelito, my family and we cheered for Bolivia. They played in the opening game, at Soldier Field (we couldn't afford tickets) against the defending champs. This team, from our poor little country, walked out onto the pitch and made us all proud to be Bolivian. That was my country on TV, we waived flags in our house we cheered that scrappy team to a 0-0 tie at the half. We had a shot! Then a in a bad turn of luck, and what could have been offsides, Germany got an easy goal. So it was 1-0, we put in our ace, the jack of all trades, El Diablo... Marco Etcheverry. He was our hope, he was a top world player, well known for his antics but well known for his dead-on touch.

However, after barely being put in, in the "Kick Seen Round the World" he was tackled (a little dirty) but he got up and kicked (and maybe spit on) the German player. Red card! He was ejected; for that game, and the following game, and Bolivia had to play a man short.

Once again our scrappy team made us proud... they played a man down, but they played heart up, and they held the game to a 1-0 loss. Not bad, could of been better, and I still haven't forgiven El Diablo... he went on to set records in the MLS with Bolivian Teammate Jaime Moreno and I cheered for DC United all those years as our "Bolivian MLS Team". Back to World Cup...

Good game recap video: YouTube

The announcer is a little patronizing to Bolivia... which was the case leading up to the game. The Bolivians earned a good rep for their scrappy play and tenacity to hold Germany, while a man down, to a 1-0 loss. Bolivia would be eliminated in the first round, and Etcheverry made a formal apology to the country.

 I remember the game, and Abuelitos dissent to the lack of an Offside call (mostly because of the FIFA rule change) and then of course to the ejection of Diablo. I am sure he yelled things like"Pucha!", "Que Macana!", "Eso!", "No Pues!" and later how much we all yelled GOOOOL when Bolivia scored a few days later against Spain.

 I remember when we went to the live game, with flags that said, "Brazil, Bolivia Esta Contigo!" We wore our Bolivia shirts and cheered for Brazil. We got to see some great players live, we got to cheer with Abuelito... our Bolivian Family, at a futbol game. Miguel, my brother reminded me how surprised he was that Abuelita went to the game... it was her first soccer game, that wasn't something women did, but its something my Abuelita got to do.

 From the Panini World Cup Sticker books, to the ungodly amount of flags, schedules, cheering and crying that happens during the World Cup... I am glad it is back...

 Well the 2014 Copa Mundial won't be the same... Cruz isn't into the game, yet. I hope that someday I get to sit next to him cheering for Bolivia in the Mundial, next to his Abuelito, and we will protest calls, yell GOL and be proud of being Bolivian.