What am I doing here, travelogue: Day 32, the working class also went to heaven

The nobility obliges. I didn’t see it because I was covering the at the time Argentina-Croatia. I had that luck. She lived this and told me Ale Barour cameraman, who was not accredited to enter the field in Lusail and always manages to get lateral views of what is happening in this exotic country when Messi and company are doing their thing on the playing field.

This happened 32 kilometers from Lusail, the city of energy. It happened in Asian Town, a popular neighborhood in the south of Doha, almost where the residential complexes of this modern city end. There Alejandro arrived by Uber to try and watch the game away from the superfluous official fan festivals. There he met a marching procession somewhere. All without shirts. But all to the same destination.

The destination was a stadium that had all the Fan Fest aesthetics. But unlike everywhere else, there were no scanners at the entrance. It was enough for a security guard to check his backpack and look, almost by obligation, at his credential. As it progresses, a giant screen appears. The semifinal had just begun. There were around 10,000 fans who experienced the match intensely. They were originals mainly from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India. They exploded with Messi’s goal, the penalty.

But that wasn’t the main “setting”. Almost by chance, looking for a place where there was more signal to pass the images and with very little lighting, Ale saw that there was a scaffolding that led to another place. And that place used to be a cricket ground that was blown up with people. About 100,000 people, more than those who entered the Lusail stadiumthey were gathered in front of another giant screen.

Our cameraman was wearing an Argentina shirt. And a credential hung around his neck. Suddenly, it became the center of attraction. They asked him if he was really Argentinian and, given the affirmative answer, he automatically became a celebrity. Sure, all Argentines are like some kind of prophets of Messi. Thus, Ale becomes the hunted hunter. Instead of taking pictures of him, everyone wants to take pictures with him. Experience first hand the fanaticism of Argentinian Bangladesh fans. Even if he doesn’t understand much. Hardly anyone speaks English.

Handshakes with rough, dry hands. Hands of workers who want to be close to someone who brings them closer to the divinity of Messi. It is striking that there are few who have the Argentina shirt. However, when a cheerleader nominates the national team at halftime, there is an avalanche of noise. Nothing happens when you talk about Croatia.

Everyone loves the Scaloneta. A Bengali approaches and proudly tells him that he asked to leave an hour before work to be able to watch the whole game, even though he arrived after 15 minutes. The day changed for him after the three goals scored by Argentina and which earned him the pass for the World Cup final.

In an audience, two women can be glimpsed who have gone completely unnoticed in the crowd, but who have followed the match with extreme attention and tension. Nobody has T-shirts. Furthermore, no one has Arab clothes. They are all workers who managed to watch the game.

As soon as it ends, another trivia occurs. In the blink of an eye, the cricket ground was completely depopulated. Nobody stayed to sing. Nobody was celebrating. They all went straight to bed. And yes… The next day we had to work. And if they don’t work, they don’t earn and they can’t send money to their families who live far from them. Remember: you can only stay here on a work visa. And usually no one comes as family. Hence the absence of women and boys.

On his way to the collector looking for the return Uber, Alejandro starts hearing the sound of drums. Approaches: they are 13 people sing “Messi, Messi, Messi”. For them, the party continues. At least for one night and thanks to the magic of the Flea, the working class also went to heaven.

Doha, Qatar. Special delivery.