06 Dec 2022  |   07:18am IST

Goans enjoying World football in Doha

Goans are enjotying this golden opportunity to watch the FIFA World Cup matches live in the stadium in Doha. With many Goans flying in and out of Doha, they are returning with fond memories and great experiences

Dolcy D’Cruz

T

he FIFA World Cup which is being held in Doha, Qatar, is a huge crowd puller among football fans from all across the world. With a sizeable Goans living in Qatar and it being the closest host country, many Goans made their way to Doha to witness the matches live in the stadium. Donning the colours of their favourite teams, many Goans booked tickets not just to one but as many as three matches. The organisers have been highly praised for their free travel on the bus and metro with the Hayya card and the smooth functioning of the entire event.

Goan Social Workers Qatar (GSWG) was formed by a group of Goans involved in social service. John Desa, the convener, is supporting Goans who are travelling to Doha for the games especially those who are finding accommodation too high for their budget, by providing their own houses for their fellow Goans. A huge football fan himself, John has attended seven matches with four more to go. “I have two more round of 16 matches and then I will attend the Quarter final and third place match. The atmosphere in Doha among the Goans is like a football carnival. This is the firstr time experience for all of us and being here personally to enjoy the fan festivals and the fan zones is something very exciting. The fans are also very supportive to not just their home countries but they even wear the colours of the teams they support in the other matches. It is a very positive festival and Goans are building not just friendship but even business ventures here,” says John, who has been living in Doha for over 37 years. They have so far hosted nearly 40 Goans by families living in Qatar.

He further adds, “My two nephews have been to the Brazil World Cup in 2014 and the Russia World Cup in 2018 and now the current World Cup in Qatar. They say that this World Cup tops their list with the way it is organised very smoothly and the volunteers who are at every spot and are very helpful. My only advice to those coming for the matches would be to practise walking. For every match, the crowds have to walk a minimum of thirty minutes to reach a shuttle or the metro. Of course, this time is used joyfully in celebrating the game and dissecting the match. All Goans are supporting Portugal, left, right and centre and the ban on alcohol within the stadium complex has also been very positively taken by the crowds.”

Pierre Fernandes and his brother Dion from Panjim attended three matches in Doha, Argentina Vs Mexico, Portugal vs Uruguay and Spain vs Germany. “This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and a dream of every football fan. Watching Ronaldo and Messi live in action was something else. We were joined by our friends and cousins in Doha itself. Ashburn Antao and Lyndon Sequeira are working in Qatar, while Edrich Rocha, who is working in Dubai and Samuel Viegas who is studying in Bangalore flew in to Qatar. Ashburn, Lyndon and Edrich are die hard Ronaldo fans while Samuel, Dion and I are die hard Messi fans. So it was a good rivalry between us during the games. It has been a crazy week and Messi scoring for the game made this experience even better. We brought home the free flags that were distributed for every match which will go into our football collection. We also could witness the fast football played by these great footballers live. We were staying with our relatives in Qatar and their home was just 20 minutes from the Lusial Stadium,” says Pierre Fernandes, a former footballer, who played for the U-20 Nationals for Goa.

Ritesh Chodankar had the opportunity to witness the Belgium vs Morocco and Uruguay vs Portugal match in the stadium along with his brother-in-law, nephew and friends. “The atmosphere was very electrifying and the Moroccan fans made up for nearly 96 percent of the stadium audience so it was a sea of just red flags. The entire World Cup is very well organised and the Hayya Card made everything very accessible. The entertainment zone was the only spot that served beer. John Desa was a great help whenever we needed and he supported us by providing accommodation for the four days that we were in Doha. We brought back great memories and souvenirs which include a beer glass with the World Cup Logo, fridge magnets and jerseys. The price were not that high compared to the European prices and since travelling was free, we didn’t really have to spend much. The only problem was that the crowd from the stadium had to be diverted to 4-5 direction which is a walk around the stadium of nearly 45 minutes,” explains Ritesh.

Former marketing manager for Churchill Brothers, Peter Figueiredo has many to many countries to witness football finals. However his visit to Doha finds its way to the top of the list. “The organisation of such a big event is so good that everything is run without any hassles to the fans. The metro and shuttles are free for Hayya Card holders. When you land in Doha, you are given a kit with a free SIM card with unlimited internet data and brochures to the various stadiums and tourist spots. The Torch Doha is so beautiful and it recently displayed a Get well soon message to Pele. The entire look of Doha has changed for the World Cup. It is a small country but they have really set a high standard for an event of this calibre. I attended three matches, Brazil vs Serbia, Portugal vs Uruguay and US vs Iran. The highlight was the goal scored by an incredible bicycle kick by Brazil's Richarlison. However, besides Ronaldo and Messi, there is no much skills shown by the players. I am supporting Portugal and Brazil but I also hope that a new country wins this World Cup,” says Peter.