Tensions were running high as Iceland faced England in the 16 finals. The Icelandic fans had worried that the English chants would overpower them with them out numbering Icelandic fans 10 to 1, but the opposite turned out to be true with thr Icelandic fans roaring in their corner of the stadium, with drum beats echoing throughout the stadium with synchronized “oohhhm” chant piercing through the English cheers.
I can’t take this, it’s too much!!!
With only 5 minutes left, the Icelandic fan standing beside me leaned towards me and said “I don’t know how you are, and I’m sorry, but I have to do this” before he had finished the last sentence, he had drilled his head into my lower shoulder saying “I can’t take this, it’s too much!!!” I told my newfound friend that there were only 5 minutes left of this historic game (for both Iceland and England) and that we needed to follow this through to the end. At the final whistle the crowd completely lost it, with everyone jumping and screaming, if you looked hard I doubt you could find more concentrated happiness in one spot on earth in that given moment.
My newfound friend didn’t stop there and grabbed me by my waste and lifted me up into the sky, where I and my fellow Icelanders truly belonged at that particular moment. After 5 minutes of constant cheering, I decided to look behind my to see how my fellow fans in the upper front were reacting and saw one Icelander standing completely still with a fixed stare and mouth half open. I asked him “are you still trying to realize what just happened?” to which he replied “… Yes… “. The celebration continued outside the stadium with a carnival like performances, drum beats and a lot of cheering (a lot).
On the bus back to Nice I sat with three English men that congratulate me on the victory. One of them said “the English team played horribly” to which I responded “yes, but the Icelandic team also played really great” he didn’t deny it and appraised the performance of the Icelandic team but added “I’m gutted, it doesn’t matter if you play well or if we play bad, we’re England, and your Iceland, we are suppose to win, simple as that”, although that statement had a hint of arrogance to it, I could still completely agree with his logic, with Iceland inhabitants only reaching over 320.000 thousand, and volcanoes in Iceland out numbering professional players.
But these English fans, as was with other, we’re very humble in the defeat and congratulates us on a great performance. Now of course they hope we win France, so that their defeat is not for nothing, as they put it.
The fairy tale continues and next stop is Paris, where Iceland will face France in the quarter finals and boy will that be a game.
Best regards from France
Thor Matthiasson