Since the moment we got to Germany, we have seen all manner of fans from every country in the tournament and then some. Whether inside a stadium, at one of the host cities' Fan Fests, or just strolling through the streets, the fans have been world-class. Having been surrounded by these zealots for the past several days, I consider myself sufficiently prepared to describe four characteristics of a good football fan.
Wearing the colors
This is one of the most impressive facets of effective fandom when executed en masse. When thousands of fans are clad in their team's colors, the visual impact is tremendous and, I would venture to say, a terrific psychological boost for the players. The best examples Cat and I have seen have been the Dutch fans, who to a person turn out in orange everything.
Regardless of the team you support, it is acceptable and, I dare say, expected that you show your national pride through jerseys, flags, scarves, face paint, wigs, silly hats, and odd costumes. There have been a few memorable occasions at The Home Depot Center when we have seen the stands filled with Galaxy gold, and I think this should be the habitual game-going attire for all Galaxy fans. We will know we've really made it when at least every third person is wearing some kind of wacky Galaxy tribute on his or her head.
Singing
Our audible fan support is one aspect of fandom in which American fans seem to lag far behind most others at this tournament. Although we Yanks can be counted on to clap, chant, and voice displeasure with calls, we lack the tradition of singing in support of our team. After the end of the Star Spangled Banner, we simply run out of ideas.
At this World Cup, I've witnessed fans from cultures generally considered less demonstrative than ours (e.g. the English, the Koreans, the French, and the Germans, to name a few) not only initiate but sustain singing throughout matches. Fans spontaneously burst into song in stations, on streets, and in trams and can even communicate using one another's songs, such as the Frenchmen who served up a slow, mocking rendition of the "Engerland" song when Cat, wearing her England jersey, walked past them.
The formula for a good fan song is simple: either set some country-specific lyrics to a well-known melody (don't be afraid to go for classical music) or sing something so strongly identified with your team that there can be no doubting who you support. All it takes is one person with the idea and courage to start up a song, and the rest will follow.
Enthusiasm
Although this point would seem to be a given, it is worth mentioning as it does not necessarily require familiarity or long-term loyalty to a team. Some of the most lasting images I will take from this adventure are of those people who channel every fibre of their being into cheering for a country other than their own.
At the Korea Republic-Togo game in Frankfurt on June 13, Cat and I saw thousands of Koreans in attendance to support the Reds, a much smaller number of native Togolese, and a huge multicultural contingent of Togo supporters who had adopted the African underdogs for the match. We saw a young boy in a Ballack Germany jersey waving Korea Republic and Togo flags as he waited with his parents to enter the stadium. We passed a handful of young men with painted faces and torsos whose fervent commitment to the Togolese team belied their European heritage. Although the Togo supporters' sections lacked the powerful presence of their team's national colors, there was something indescribably heartening about the patchwork of diverse fans cheering wildly for the scrappy and athletic Togolese. Far from being fickle, these fans represented one of the best parts of the World Cup: the coming together of people from across the globe in their common love of the sport.
A positive attitude
It's a bittersweet reality of the World Cup that amongst the many worthy contenders, there can be only one winner and the rest leave in disappointment. The best fans celebrate no matter what - win, lose, or draw.
For many fans, seeing their country participate in the World Cup at all is a delight beyond words. The cheerful and fun-loving Trinis that we met on a train didn't mind if T&T didn't make it through to the next round because it was an achievement in itself to have made it to Germany at all. Their unadulterated pride in their tiny island nation was palpable and infectious; nearby passengers could not help but smile. On the train back from the T&T match against England (2-0 in favor of England), I saw a merry band of Trinis making their way through the cars, beaming broadly at the English passengers as they shook their hands and congratulated them on England's victory.
We've witnessed fans of Serbia & Montenegro and Ukraine (both victims of disappointing losses in Leipzig) cheer their players just as wildly as if they had earned landslide victories. We have walked among Croatian supporters in Frankfurt who saw their team lose 0-1 to Brazil but left Fan Fest waving flags and cheering. We have waded through a section of Korea Republic supporters who remained in their seats, bouncing up and down and singing, long after their appreciative players had left the pitch. For these and all true fans of their teams, the World Cup has already been a success.
Lisa Rollins is Manager of Customer Service for the Los Angeles Galaxy. She is a lifelong soccer fan and has worked for the Galaxy since September 2004, but Germany 2006 is her first World Cup as a both a spectator and as a reporter. Rollins is contributing journals of her World Cup experience from a fan's perspective. Questions and comments to the Rollie Report are always encouraged. Contact Lisa at: therolliereport@yahoo.com.
During some downtime on one of her many train rides to and from Leipzig, Rollins discovered with great alarm that one of the ingredients in German gummi bears is spinach. You read that correctly: SPINACH. Consultation with a native German speaker confirmed this disturbing fact.
