Thousands of Pakistanis will gather in a Karachi neighbourhood that was previously known for its poverty and gang violence to support Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.
In the wee hours of Wednesday, crowds of people walked through the winding lanes of Lyari to witness Lionel Messi and his Argentina team defeat Croatia 3-0 on a huge screen.
Some people who were wearing Argentina shirts started dancing and singing as the South Americans qualified for the decisive match against France or Morocco in Qatar. The night sky was lighted up with fireworks.
Tahir Khan, a 40-year-old football coach, said of Argentina’s World Cup stars: “Most of the youth are inspired by them,”
Naturally, Messi is the favourite, but they also adore his Brazilian teammate Neymar, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
“I see most of the youth wearing Messi or Neymar jerseys. Even at Eid they wear their jerseys… instead of traditional dress,” said Khan
By creating life-size murals of their favourite players, erecting flags and bunting, and keeping score on bracket boards painted on walls, Lyari’s citizens have brought the World Cup to their city.
The admiration for Argentina, as well as their fierce rivals Brazil, extends beyond only their football prowess.
Though less (developed) than European nations, Khan said that Latin American nations’ athletes are well-known around the world.
To read our blog on “Platforms to watch live FIFA world cup 2022 in Pakistan,” click here
