A Joyous Nation Dives To Depths of Sorrow What cricket is to the subcontinent, soccer is to Europe. Both Italy and Portugal qualified for the semi-finals and this heightened the nip in the evening air of the two cities of Rome and Rome. Soccer-lovers would suddenly materialise on the streets and parks, run around holding the staff with the fluttering flag of their country. On June 28, Lisbon woke up and found itself enveloped in an air of expectancy. It was difficult to find one Portuguese citizen who was not keen on the day's match: the semi-final between Portugal and world champions France in Brussels, Belgium. The Portuguese prime minister had in fact sought postponement of his dinner with Vajpayee, in order to watch the match live on television. Our well-behaved guide Manuel showed signs of irritation for the first time when he discovered that because of the day's schedule, he would not be able to watch the match live. People began deserting public places a few hours before the match began. At the media center, technicians, assistants, hotel staff, chefs, assembled in front of the television, which was installed specially for the day by the consulate officials. At the sprawling malls, a hushed silence fell as shoppers went home or to respective hotels. A few onlookers gathered in front of the television showrooms. A nation ground to a halt to watch its heroes in action. A Portuguese win was a foregone conclusion, though the source of that confidence seemed a bit misplaced because world champion France is no pushover. The youth were all set to burst into a frenzy. It was a time-bomb kind of situation. Everyone looked forward to the two hours of intense, nerve-wracking television viewing, to be followed by night-long celebrations on the streets. Beer, firecrackers, singing, music, dancing and long, crazy mobike rides with friends were on the menu. Indian journalists rooted for Portugal because a Portuguese victory would mean a chance to file a bylined feature story datelined Lisbon. Their hopes received a boost when the Portuguese team took an early lead. The journos kept track of the match even as they moved from one official venue to another to cover the scheduled events. An Austrian referee's last-minute decision in favour of a penalty for France rewrote the script for the day and shattered a nation's dream. France won 2-1, Portugal lost everything: joy, pride, hope, everything. A golden opportunity was lost for the journos. It was a spectacle that was not to be. Depressed Portuguese youth took to bars and downed gallons of liquor in silent mourning. A tabloid consoled the citizens with a front-page banner headline superimposed on a photograph of team-members weeping after the match: "Don't Cry, Portugal!" Perhaps, it s a consolation that Portugal's vanquisher France eventually emerged the champion last night. The Day After: Unlike in India, there were no heated discussions. Nor debates. Nor fault-finding exercises. Nor blame-fixing. Just sadness. And silence. The cheerful and lively interpreters-cum-guides suddenly became dumb dolls. Attempts at cheering them up were nipped in the bud. Asked if he watched the match on television, Phillip, a 20-something guide, snapped back: "Yes. But I don't want to talk about it." As the day progressed, one wondered whether even soccer matches are fixed. Are they indeed? A soccer fan opened up: "Yes. But not for money. If the team does not like the coach and want him to be replaced, or if the team wants to lose because it will pit them against a weaker opponent in the next round, then yes, match results are manipulated." Portugal may be a blip on the world map, but it is not insignificant, at least not politically and in sports and tourism. I am glad I visited Portugal. It is definitely not a letdown. BACK: Namaste Pradhan Mantri-ji; Your Bharat mahaan; Vignettes of Rome; Asians Ahoy!; Life and style in Rome; Vajpayee da Gama; Dining with a VVIP's daughter-in-law; Spotlight on Portugal; The old and the beautiful Portuguese; Youth on their toes; TV is cool; Lisbon is a party in June; Air-India to remain Air-India; How India will get UN Security Council seat; New Millennium, old communication methods; Modern Maharajas have the cake and eat it too. Tell us what you think of this diary
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