Thank you, Dad: A surprise trip to the World Cup
I’ve been mulling over how to start writing this blog post and how to keep it interesting. I can’t say I’ve really written a blog post per se, but I’ve written in the past. Back in college I wrote some articles for the Oswegonian at SUNY Oswego. I don’t remember the feedback I got, but the articles I wrote made it in the paper, so I suppose it wasn’t terrible!
The Robert Ford interview we did on the pod evoked some memories of my relationship with my father. Unfortunately, he passed away in October 2020, and I can’t talk sports with him anymore. But I will always have the memories of those conversations. I often think about how those conversations would go now. AEK Athens is in first place in the Greek Super League in their new stadium. The New York Red Bulls just kicked off their season and have not looked good. He reminded me often how he didn’t care for baseball, but he loved Giannis Antetokounmpo! I wish for just one more opportunity to chat with him about anything, but especially sports.
I wanted to share one of my most memorable sports related stories that I had with my father, and it dates back to 1994. The World Cup was being held here in the United States. Greece qualified for the tournament for the very first time. It was a dream come true for my father, an immigrant from this little European country that is famous for its beautiful islands, ancient ruins and of course, feta cheese. On the morning of the game between Greece and Argentina, I was awoken by my father relatively early, maybe 7am. Listen! That’s early for a teenager! He told me to get ready. As you can imagine, I was confused. Get ready to go where?? Then it dawned on me. He got tickets to the Greece vs Argentina match with some of his fellow immigrant Greek friends. It’s something he had mentioned in passing he was thinking about doing. Well, it happened, and off we went to Foxboro! Kick off at 12:30pm! Weeks before, I managed to score a 1994 Greece home jersey, which I still have to this day. Bet your ass that is what I was going to wear! Along with a Greek flag, I was ready. We caravanned down the Mass Turnpike with about two or three other cars full of Greeks, flags waving in the windows of each vehicle. I have no doubt people were wondering what we were doing, some still oblivious to the world’s game even though it was in our own backyard.
After about a two-and-a-half-hour ride from Albany, NY, we made it to the stadium. If you’ve never attended any sporting event at the old Foxboro Stadium, you didn’t miss much. Bleacher style seating throughout the stadium except for three sections on each side of the main stands of the stadium. And, of course, one road in. A two-lane road not suitable for any major sporting event traffic, let alone a World Cup match.
Into the stadium we go, about one hour before kickoff. It was a damp day, a mistiness in the air which made the stadium experience a little wet and forget about sitting on the bleachers - not one person was sitting in the stadium. The Greeks outnumbered the Argentinians 2 to 1, easily. We were in the upper section of the stadium opposite the TV camera side. Regardless of where our seats were, I was happy to be there. I was overwhelmed with joy, especially seeing my father along with all the other Greeks belting out the Greek National Anthem. Goosebumps moment unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
The match didn’t go well for Greece. Gabriel Batistuta scored within two minutes for Argentina. And the rest was history, as they say. Batistuta ended up with a hat trick, but that wasn’t even the most memorable part of the actual match. Some guy named Diego Maradona scored his last international goal in this match, in his second to last match for Argentina before he was banned for doping. A left footer from the top of the penalty area, after some fantastic one-two’s, not even the best goalkeeper in the world would have stopped. Then the maniacal celebration everyone saw on television and on the big screen in the stadium.
After the match, we made our way back to the parking lot. The lot we were in was across the street from the stadium and was not paved. In any event, we decided to barbecue some food before we hit the road. In the lot, we were parked next to some guys from Ireland. And of course, as you should do in the parking lot of any sporting event, challenge them to a match of footy. And that we did. Greeks vs the Irish in the parking lot. Turned out a lot better than the actual match.
I share this story because in 2026, the World Cup will be held here in the United States, along with Canada and Mexico. The field will be expanded, and Greece will have a good shot at qualifying again. It will give me an opportunity to share these same moments (hopefully with a better outcome) with my son, who will still be a teenager by the time the tournament starts. Whether it is in Foxboro, the Meadowlands or even in Toronto, we will make our pilgrimage, along with thousands of others who shared the same experience I did growing up and have the opportunity to share the same experience with their sons or daughters. If you are someone who has lost a parent, particularly during the pandemic, cherish these moments with your kid. You never know when it will be your last.