Ole!

 

Russian football fans lost to Spanish ones just like the national team did.

At least in Innsbruck.

 

They look similar if a group meets a group – both shout, laugh, take photos of each other and together.

But general picture is different.

First of all, there were more Spaniards on Innsbruck streets. Well, GDP per capita, visas etc. – the reason is obvious.

Second, Spanish fans are younger, slimmer and more dynamic. The reason is probably the same: just 5% of Russians can afford a foreign trip, primarily when they are over 35-40, they have money and a beer belly.

 

Also, Spaniards are more various. They have flags, hats, wigs, toreador costumes and all possible clothes in red and yellow.

 

We had just flags and t-shirts with the text of the national anthem, rarely some faces were painted with Russian tricolor. All that reminded me some kind of organized Soviet event with a few officially confirmed patterns.

 

Spaniards sang beautiful melodies, short and familiar even to me (I am not at all a specialist in Spanish culture). Our guys sang “Ole–ole, Rossiya vperiod!” (“Russia, full ahead!”) – which is a local version of international football hymn.

Someone sang Yellow Submarine with Russian lyrics “My preiehali shtoby pobedit” (“We came to win”). Even some Soviet song with military connotations were heard.

The fans are clearly searching for the right tunes but they haven’t succeeded yet.

And the main thing.

 

Spaniards unite easily, sit down on streets as big companies, sing together, dance and enjoy themselves. Ours move as small groups of two, three, four people. They shout somehow very loud and even a bit aggressive. I don’t think they do it on purpose. It seems to be current Russian understanding of public support.

In other words, there is something to work on.

By the way, the same thing with the national football team.

 
P.S. “Ispaniya parasha, pobeda budet nasha” (“Spain is shit, we will win”) have been heard sometimes, too, but rarely.