Cheering for our South Korean friends

By Marifi Jara

QUELIMANE, Mozambique–I’ve caught the fever here. Football fever.

I know I have seriously gotten the bug when I started to be able to name some of the players during chitchat. (It used to be that David Beckam was probably the only footballer I can name, but that’s because he’s been celebrity news material and there’s that movie Bend it like Beckam, which is one worth watching).

“Honda got kicked!” (Player for Japan). “Tae-se didn’t cry this time during the national anthem!” (Player for North Korea. Yes, the elusive, secretive country had a team that qualified!). “Elia just got in” (Player for the Netherlands).

Been watching practically every game, lucky to have them broadcast on a local channel here and not needing to stay up at odd hours being in the same time zone as host South Africa. And I’ve been really enjoying reading about all the locker room intrigues, on- and off-field drama, the sideshows, and all sorts of trivia about the game, the players and its history. Even gotten used to the buzzing of the vuvuzelas and all the nasty spitting and blowing out of snot. It’s grand entertainment.

I’m glad that Ghana is moving on to the next round of 16. There are no high expectations here that an African country will be raising the 2010 trophy but the show would be more exciting with a team from the continent – I’m imagining big-time fun party mood with lots of bum- shaking dancing.

I’m also glad that the South Koreans are in the 16. My heart belongs to the Oranje but South Korea is one of the teams I am cheering for partly because of our close ties with them, what with all the students they are sending to the Philippines to learn English, the honeymooning tourists, and the investments and grants they are putting into our country, including significant ones in Pangasinan like the seafood processing plant in Dagupan, the rice processing complex in Sta. Barbara, and it seems more are coming up. But it is not so much because they are Asian — I do not feel the same sentiment as what the Africans have in their “Africa United” cheer for each African nation that is participating in this first World Cup that is being held in the continent. The main reason I am hoping that the South Koreans make it to the last two games is simply because I think it would make for more interesting variety to watch players other than the usual suspects: the Europeans and the latinos. And perhaps a South Korean victory would prompt more interest in the game among Filipinos.

It is surely a game where we have a chance to excel. Proof is in the shining performance of a Philippine team in the 2010 World Cup special games for street children and just last week, coinciding with the World Cup here, the dominance of the Philippine team, composed of Philippine Army members, in the first World Cup Pilipinas held in Manila.

Interest is little by little growing, but it would need serious investment to have decent football fields and build up a world-class team. Perhaps in another generation or two.

For the Philippines to love and excel in football does not mean trading it for basketball.

I don’t think football can ever take the place of basketball in the Filipinos’ hearts and streets. But, hey, there is plenty of love for sports to go around so why not send a little bit in football’s way.

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