Photo: Tomm W. Christiansen
JEDDAH (Aftenposten): Bread and circus for the people. The sport has become an important part of the story of a rapidly changing Saudi Arabia.
Published: 27/01/2024 11:53
In the middle of the night, the plane approaches landing. A man clears his throat so everyone’s eyes turn to him. He gives some instructions towards rows of seats filled with people in white, fluffy clothes.
During the last half hour of the flight, the passengers are buzzing. A stanza is repeated over and over.
They are going on a pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest place in Islam. It is about an hour’s drive from the big city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Hours later, some men sit on their knees in deep concentration, while the sound from the stands inside rises. The men pray. Such groups are scattered across the corridors of the football stadium in Jeddah, on carpets or directly on the concrete floor.
Some wear normal T-shirts, others have traditional attire, while many are dressed in the yellow and black colors of the city’s best football team.
They are part of football’s new Mecca.
Photo: Tomm W. Christiansen
Sea view
The stars are flocking, major championships are being held here, and the leaders are flocking around Saudi Arabia.
The sport has become an important part of the history of a country in rapid change. But even if some now experience a liberation, it is not so for everyone. This is also a game about the regime’s reputation.
sanctuary
As the match is about to start, a young man sprints away from behind a wall to pray. He just makes it.
There, a grandstand full of festive spectators awaits.
Foto: Tomm W. ChristiansenFoto: Tomm W. Christiansen
They are here, young and old.
It’s the WC for club teams, and it’s just a taste of what’s to come.
Saudi Arabia is a brutal dictatorship. But the football stands feel like a sanctuary.
It is a glimpse into the future of football. And present time.
Because Saudi Arabia is here, as a power that will only grow bigger, until the royal family has achieved what it wants.
Europe’s sovereign world domination is over. Nothing will shape football over the next decade as much as Saudi Arabia’s political plan.
Is it soccer culture? The answer after just over a week in the country is resoundingly clear: Yes, to the very highest degree.
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2024-01-27 10:53:46
#Footballs #Mecca
