For some soccer fans in U.S., pulling for native land isn't out of bounds
06/20/2002
The World Cup could be the ultimate test of allegiance for emigrés
calling the United States home.
And in one little informal poll, as unscientific as can be, well, let's
say those old ties linger.
Folks from Brazil, England, Germany, South Korea, Senegal, Spain and
Turkey all agree – if the teams from their native lands happen to beat
the United States in soccer's shimmering showcase, none would be
particularly upset.
If, for example, Brazil and the United States meet in the World Cup
finals, Bruno Ferretti makes it perfectly clear which he favors.
"I would go with Brazil, there's no doubt about it," the Dallas
youth-league soccer coach said.
"The United States has been a wonderful country to me. But when it comes
to soccer, trust me, it's Brazil."
Barry Robinson's wife and daughters are Americans through and through,
but in a head-to-head match with the United States, he'd cheer for his
native England.
"I'd be a little torn if England played the United States," said Mr.
Robinson of Plano. "But I guess home roots would win out."
In England, he said, soccer is "a national obsession." But Mr. Robinson
isn't sure how many people in the United States even realize America's
success so far.
"There are countries that aren't playing in the World Cup that watch
more closely," he said. "The folks in Holland are more aware of what the
U.S. is doing than the people here."
Sene-gooooooal
In Senegal, which has never been to the World Cup finals, soccer grips
the country, Bouna Diop said.
"I'm guessing that when they're playing, nobody's working," said Mr.
Diop of Dallas. "It's like you guys having the Super Bowl."
Mr. Diop moved to America three years ago but has no problem rooting for
the Senegal team against the United States.
"Of course, if the U.S. wins, I'll be very happy because my wife is from
here and I live here," he said. "But if the Senegal team wins, I'll be
very, very happy, too."
Like the United States and Senegal, South Korea's performance in the
World Cup it co-hosts has been something of a surprise, but not to
Koreans, Sun Kwon Lee said.
Still, Mr. Lee said, "people in the U.S. aren't interested in soccer."
Mr. Lee publishes News Korea, a newspaper for Dallas'
50,000-member Korean community, and he travels to South Korea
frequently. He was there last week, he said, and Koreans are mad for
soccer and for their national team.
"Korea is the home team in the World Cup," he said. "We have a crazy
supporting group of 3 million people behind this team."
He has been impressed with the U.S. team, he said, but Mr. Lee isn't
confident the Americans can beat Germany. And if they did and ended up
playing South Korea, he'd want South Korea to win.
Dieter Probson doesn't think the United States will beat Germany either.
At least he hopes not.
Although he moved to America four years ago to fulfill a dream of
becoming a cowboy – he owns a ranch in Pilot Point – this cowpoke still
cheers for his homeland.
"My heart still beats, honestly, for Germany," he said.
His boss at Kuby's Sausage House in University Park leans the same way.
Karl Kuby worked as a water boy for Germany's World Cup championship
team in 1954 before immigrating to the United States and still roots for
Germany. But as an American now, a U.S. victory wouldn't upset him.
Besides, he said, "If America wins, my God, I think it would give soccer
here a boost."
Pilar Verde of Richardson loves U.S. soccer – particularly because girls
and boys can play. It wasn't that way when she was growing up in Spain.
But what if the United States and Spain should meet in the World Cup
semifinals?
"I have to say my heart belongs to Spain," she said.
Talking Turkey
"I got up at 2 in the morning to catch the last part of their match with
Japan because I couldn't go to sleep thinking about it," said Mr. Gurbuz
of DeSoto.
But after 30 years in America, Mr. Gurbuz said, he'd be too torn to
favor one team over the other if Turkey and the United States should
meet.
"I couldn't cheer for either," he said. "I'd cheer for the best team to
win. Either way I'm a winner."
Karl Lewis knows exactly whom he'd cheer for in any match involving the
United States. But since moving from Plano to England, he'll cheer
quietly.
"I'll be cheering for England against Brazil, and I'll be cheering for
the U.S.A. against Germany," he said. "But if the impossible were to
happen with England vs. the U.S.A., of course I'd want the U.S. to win."
When you watch the match in a Manchester pub, surrounded by "very
passionate football fans" who've spent hours pouring down pints, it's
probably best to keep that a secret, Mr. Lewis said.
"But at the moment, I have the pleasure of supporting both teams and
enjoying the once-in-a-lifetime experience of World Cup fashion I
wouldn't find in the U.S.," he said.
"So go, England! And go, U.S.A. – all the way!"
E-mail myoung@dallasnews.com
and cfrates@dallasnews.com
The nation is so passionate about its team that more than 72 percent of
the TVs there were tuned in to the national team's upset of Italy the
other day. In Dallas, the U.S. victory over Mexico pulled a rating of 2.4.
Of course, that match started at 1:30 a.m.
Also Online
World Cup schedule
(from official site)
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