JEDDAH, 3 July 2006 — “We were, we are and we will be with Brazil,” trilled Sultana Q., a 20-something Saudi girl, as she tried to get the image from her projector in focus on the smooth white wall in preparation for the Brazil and France match at her posh villa in Jeddah’s affluent Corniche district.
The quarterfinal between Brazil and France was still an hour away but Sultana was busy making arrangements for 15 of her friends and relatives who she had invited to watch the key encounter with popcorn, Al-Baik and McDonald’s.
All her friends turned out to be diehard Brazil fans, some of them turning up in Brazilian-style yellow and green attire. “We want Brazil to win. They are the best team and they will win,” said Besma Hussain, as she made herself comfortable on a cushy sofa in a room overlooking the calm and picturesque Red Sea.
They screamed and cheered for their team but 15 minutes into the game, these so-called Brazil fans suddenly became ecstatic when Zinedine Zidane took control of the ball. “Man, he is a genius. Look the way he controls the ball. He is unparalleled. The media and the critics were so harsh on him and look at the way he is playing, he is putting to shame all these young players,” said Besma.
Wait, they were just screaming for Brazil and suddenly this effusive praise for Zidane?
“Well we are here to support the best team and Brazil isn’t really playing well,” chorused Sultana and her guests. “France is playing very well and Zidane is an absolute gem. Football has never been this great and we are having a ball,” they continued.
As Sultana and her friends and relatives switched sides, Zidane made a move that led to the match’s only goal in the 57th minute sealing the fate of the Brazilian side. “I cannot believe it, it is shocking. How can Brazil lose,” said Abdullah Hussain.
In Jeddah’s other locality, Saleh H. watched the game along with his friends. “We were, we are and we will be with the underdogs, always. Everybody has been on Brazil’s side. But in this match we were on France’s side, the way they played was stupendous and Zidane was marvelous,” he told Arab News by telephone.
He was angry too. “They (Brazil) were arrogant. Just because they had Ronaldo and Ronaldinho on their side they thought they had the trophy in their bag. They were simply arrogant. It’s enough, they’ve won the trophy six times in the past. Let them relax now,” he said.
But what about the Saudis that had supported Brazil? “Weren’t they wrong?” said Abdul Majeed. “It was all media hype. You shouldn’t go according to the number of posters of Ronaldinho and Ronaldo there are in supermarkets and hypermarkets.
That is an illusion created by the world of advertising. We are with France and we are with Portugal. I am happy that England lost on Saturday,” he added.
One top Saudi media personality felt there were more supporters of France in Saudi Arabia because of the team’s ethnic diversity. “Zidane is of Algerian origin, Vikash Dhorasoo is Indian from the island of Mauritius, Claude Mekelele is from Zaire and Patrick Vieira from Senegal. People definitely identify with ethnic minority players.”
