Fervent nationalism is absolutely fucking crazy when deeply believed, but pretty damn fun when used in jest. That is what I have concluded after attending the Argentina vs. Canada under-20 football (soccer) friendly at the new Exhibition Place stadium on Friday. There were probably close to as many fans rooting for the Argentines as there were for the Canadians, and the fans at this game were awesomely dedicated, loud, drunk, and rowdy. I wouldn’t want it any other way, and cheering for Canada until I was completely hoarse was fun as fuck, but the reactions of Canadian fans to the Argentine cheering section were pretty interesting. A good many red and white supporters were truly angry that Canadian Argentines were supporting their homeland instead of their adopted home, and chants of “Where do you live?” from the Canadian side were loud and frequent. They were fucking serious, and it was a pathetic mix of racism and/or xenophobia. Don’t get me wrong, if you’re watching a sporting event you have to pick a side to cheer for, and heckling the opponent is as fun and funny as any activity. I would just prefer to leave the politics at home and stick to witty humour, which is why I preferred to help remind the Argentines that they’ll never take the Falklands.

Serious shit aside, this was one of the most fun evenings I’ve had in a while and if any of you can make it to the new stadium I highly recommend it. The place gets louder than the girls I sleep with, and the enthusiasm is incredible. Check it out if you can.