LYARI, Pakistan — Thousands of
Pakistanis in a Karachi neighborhood once synonymous with
gang violence and poverty will mass together to roar on Argentina in the World
Cup final on Sunday.
اضافة اعلان
People poured
through the labyrinth streets of Lyari in the early hours of Wednesday to watch
Lionel Messi and his Argentina side on a giant screen beat Croatia 3-0 in the
semifinal.
Wearing Argentina
shirts, some broke into song and dance after the South Americans sealed their
spot in the decider in Qatar against
France or Morocco. Fireworks lit up the
night sky.
“Most of the youth
are inspired by them,” Tahir Khan, a 40-year-old football coach, told AFP of
Argentina’s World Cup stars.
Messi is
inevitably the favorite — but they also like his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate
Neymar of Brazil.
“I see most of the
youth wearing Messi or Neymar jerseys. Even at Eid they wear their jerseys ...
instead of traditional dress,” said Khan.
Residents have
brought the World Cup to Lyari, painting life-size murals of their favorite
players, hanging flags and bunting, and keeping track of progress on bracket
boards marked on walls.
The appreciation
of Argentina — but also of fierce rivals Brazil — is not purely about their
football skills.
“The Latin
American countries are not as (developed) as the European countries but their
players are acknowledged all over the world,” Khan said.
Argentina or Morocco?
In one battle for Lyari years ago, gangs infamously used rocket-propelled
grenades and assault rifles to fight security forces, with the crossfire
shutting schools and businesses.
But the worst of
the violence has abated and an increase in security has led to flowering
creativity.
The neighborhood
now clings fiercely to its reputation for producing footballers, iron-chinned
boxers, and, most recently, socially conscious rappers.
There is
good-natured banter between adopted Argentina and Brazil fans.
“We relate to the
Brazilians’ (skin) color and style, that is why we like Brazil the most,” said
45-year-old Shahid Saleem.
“My own favorite
team is Argentina but my two sons are staunch supporters of Brazil. Quarrels
between father and sons is a daily routine.”
Now a fresh
argument looms over Lyari: whether to back Argentina or Morocco if the
underdogs stun holders France to reach Sunday’s final.
Morocco would be
the first Muslim nation to make it to a World Cup final — a source of great
pride for Pakistani football fans.
“Earlier we
supported Brazil but they were knocked out of the tournament so now we are
supporting Marrakesh (Morocco) as it is a Muslim country,” said Abdul Ghafoor,
20-year-old laborer and football fan.
Saleem summed up
the dilemma for many.
“The prayers of
all of Lyari are with Morocco and hopefully they will would make it to the
final,” he said.
“(But) I am an
Argentina fan, so from this side I will pray for Argentina.”
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