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Futbol Chileno

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March 29, 2009

First off, let me tell you that this post was supposed to be a video post answering some of the questions from you guys. However, last night I went to tape the video and the batteries on my camera were dead. Vlogging FAIL. And I’m not sure I’ll have time to tape something tonight, so I’ll get to that as soon as possible but it might not be within the next couple of days.

Moving on.

Last night Chile wiped the floor with Peru — I’m talking about futbol, clearly. Because A. I would never use such crass terms to describe a racially charged political situation and B. I don’t really care too much about what’s going on between these two countries anyways. They’ve always had beef with each other and I don’t foresee that changing any time soon, no matter what happens with their borders.

So back to soccer. I love watching, I love playing, I love everything about it. Chile is my honorary team, although I’ll admit, in past World Cups, I’ve rooted for Argentina after the U.S. was knocked out (and because Chile hasn’t made it to any of the past WC’s in my recent watching history). I know that’s something a true Chile fan would NEVER do. Mention Argentine futbol and to a Chilean and you’re bound to get the same reaction from most Chileans, “Argentinos culiados!” But in the end, I’m a futbol fan. And if Argentina’s playing good soccer, I want to watch. I get bored by those French and Italian pansies.

Last night, like I said, Chile beat Peru 3-1. But right before the game S. and I headed to the supermarket. Holy bad idea, batman! Lines were 10-15 people deep. Every Chilean in Santiago was out making their pre-game purchases. As I stook there waiting to check out, I chuckled to myself and wished I had my camera with me. In the line I was in, all but one person were buying giant bags of carne and pan. Most also accompanied that with bolsas de mayo and huge bottles of Coca Colas and pisco Capel — Chilean culture at it’s finest. :)

We arrived back home and cooked up some choripanes minus the bread and made some pebre to go along with while we watched. It was our own mini-asado and I think we might have to make it into a tradition. We don’t normally go out to watch the games, because we both always have to work. Surprise, surprise. So last night we stayed in, but by eating choripan and pebre and having the game on while I wrote a few stories, I felt more connected to the triumph. I felt like I was a part of the Chilean celebration.

So last night was fun. Not as fun as the historic moment when we beat Argentina but it was an enjoyable moment nonetheless. Although this was the first time Chile had beat Peru in Peru in something like 24 years, I’m going to be honest, I expect Chile to beat the Bolivias, and Perus and Venezuelas of the soccer world without problem. So I can’t say I see it as any kind of enormous victory. What is impressive though, is the fact that Bielsa has completely turned this team around. I think he’s the first coach in a long time who takes things seriously, and while he might be a complete crazy, he’s doing a great job. The work ethic and drive that the players didn’t have before, shows.

And honestly, during futbol matches, that’s one of the few times when I feel like I’m a part of Chilean society. Normally, when I speak about this country and the culture here, I talk in terms they and we. “They do this,” but “we (meaning we the gringos) do this.” But, when Chile scores, I’m all, “WE SCORED! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!”

I hung my head in shame and cried alongside the entire country after Chile’s embaressing non-qualifying run for Germany ‘06. But, I think Chile is well on it’s way to South Africa if things keep up this way. And when they qualify, I’ll be right there with every other Chilean screaming, “Vamos, vamos Chileeeeeeeenoooooos!” I’ll be saying, “We did it.”

29 Comments

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29 Comments »

  1. That game was great. I’ve never been that into soccer, but since coming here it has definitely won me over.

    And from what I’ve heard, Bielsa has done amazing things. Yesterday my friends were all like “Look a that weon run! They didn’t run like that before Bielsa came…”

    I’m going to the Estadio on Wednesday for the game against Uruguay…I’m super excited!!

    Comment by Abby — March 30, 2009 @ 9:13 am

  2. Abby, big LOL at your friends’ comments because they’re so right! I always thought Chile was good before, but I thought they wasted their talents by being lazy and undisciplined. Now I feel like Bielsa is completely sacandoles provecho.

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 30, 2009 @ 9:18 am

  3. I followed the game over the Internet, it was exciting. I am not a huge football fan but I do follow the WC games and pre games. I consider myself a Chilean football fan but when Chile is not playing I do root for the closest thing, Argentina!

    Comment by Anonymous — March 30, 2009 @ 9:23 am

  4. Anonymous, are you Chilean? Good to know I’m not the only one who switches sides when my team’s out. :)

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 30, 2009 @ 9:27 am

  5. Mamacita, yes I’m Chilean. I never really understood the animosity between Chile and Argentina. I’m not just talking about football. Yes, they are different cultures but extremely similar when compared to other South American idiosyncrasies. Don’t you think?

    Comment by Anonymous — March 30, 2009 @ 9:38 am

  6. I honestly don’t know enough about Argentina to compare it to Chile. I’d have to live there for four years too so I could accurately judge. :) But, like you said, I don’t really understand the animosity either. I think both countries have superiority issues and consider themselves to be “best” of South America, so they’re always fighting for the title amongst each other.

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 30, 2009 @ 9:41 am

  7. That’s a fair assessment, Mamacita (that’s not your real name, is it?). I think both countries fancy themselves as the best of South America and both compete for recognition as such.

    I take it you live in Santiago? Have you been to Buenos Aires? I love that city, is more European than any European city :) , although some don’t value that as much as I do. The food is great and people is way more polite than in Santiago.

    Comment by Anonymous — March 30, 2009 @ 9:54 am

  8. Sorry, I just realized my first paragraph repeated what you said, only in different words. LOL.

    Comment by Anonymous — March 30, 2009 @ 9:57 am

  9. I WISH my first name were Mamacita, that would be bad ass! But no, alas, my name is just Kyle :)

    Yes, I’ve lived in Santiago for about 4 years. I’ve only been to Buenos Aires twice, both for super short trips so I didn’t get to know the city well, although I thought it was beautiful and definitely found the people to be very friendly. Argentineans also reaaaaally want to compete with Chileans in everything though, because as soon as they found out I lived in Chile I’d be bombarded with questions about whether I liked Chilean food better or Argentinean, were Chilean men cuter or Argentinean, where were people nicer etc. Someone even asked me whose side of Patagonia I thought was prettiest!

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 30, 2009 @ 10:03 am

  10. “Someone even asked me whose side of Patagonia I thought was prettiest!”

    That’s hilarious! I’m surprised you were attacked like that in Buenos Aires. I would have thought that “modus operandi” is exclusive from Chilean culture, LOL!

    Kyle is a beautiful name, better than Mamacita, where did you get that one from?

    Comment by Anonymous — March 30, 2009 @ 10:10 am

  11. It was indeed a great game. I watched it in a bar in Pio Nono, and somehow a shot of me made it on Chilevisión. ¡Soy famoso!

    I was cracking up in the bar when everyone started chanting something along the lines of, “El que no salta es un peruano maricón.” I jumped for my own safety, not out of support of homophobia, xenophobia, and racism.

    Comment by Elliot Rosenberg — March 30, 2009 @ 10:26 am

  12. Elliot…so I guess now I can say a famous person has commented on my blog. Lucky for both of us. :)

    Anonymous, Mamacita Chilena is a random name I just chose because I wanted my blogger name to be sort of anonymous. That’s all shot to hell now though, I’m out of the closet as far as blogging identities go. And as for my real name Kyle, my mom picked it even though it’s a boy’s name because she just thought it sounded nice. No other special reason. :) My middle name is Racine after a small city in WI.

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 30, 2009 @ 10:35 am

  13. Yeah! That made my day a little brighter to find out that Chile beat Peru. This being because of my gringa+chileno in the Peru airport experience that I need to post. Thanks for the update :)

    Comment by Cincinnati Chile — March 30, 2009 @ 11:37 am

  14. Aimee, just curious, but have you guys been able to find anywhere in Cincinnati that you can watch Chile soccer games on TV?

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 30, 2009 @ 11:45 am

  15. Our chilean co-workers who pay for Chile TV in their Direct TV package :) We haven’t really researched it yet but sounds like we need to get in on the action. I am sure there are places that show it around here but just need to ask around.

    Comment by Cincinnati Chile — March 30, 2009 @ 2:21 pm

  16. you should definitely start researching since I’m pretty sure that Chile is going to qualify for the World Cup. Seabass will be kicking himself if he misses their amazing qualifying run, especially when it gets down to the wire. I know he doesn’t like futbol, just like my S., but I bet like any good Chilean he’ll get excited if they’re doing well. :)

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 30, 2009 @ 2:23 pm

  17. Oh- and thanks to the link to failblog.org- hilarious and the perfect escape on a stressful day at work (I’ll keep this one bookmarked).

    You should check out engrish.com if you haven’t already.

    Comment by Cincinnati Chile — March 30, 2009 @ 2:27 pm

  18. Oh my gosh, just check it out. HILARIOUS!

    Definitely adding to my Google Reader, thanks Aimee!

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 30, 2009 @ 4:33 pm

  19. http://www.expatsinchile.com

    Comment by VIVIANA MILAM — March 31, 2009 @ 4:19 am

  20. Yeah, we did beat Argentina for the first time, but playing in Chile, not yet “en su propia casa”. And second, it was the first time in 24 years that we beat Peru, but playing over there, of course not overall.
    Now, after my boring futbol explanation, I’d like to say that we too (Chileans), especially after these big sports victories, feel more part of the “Chilean society”, just like you did Kyle, but in other ways. Meaning we feel part of the SAME society, and do not make any right/left or cuico/flaite distinctions, not in times like these, we all won Sunday night, all Chileans as one. Too bad these feelings don’t last for ever, si solo fuera por mi lets beat Peruvians (or whoever) the whole year.

    Comment by Matias — March 31, 2009 @ 1:24 pm

  21. Matias, thanks, I fixed the Argentina mistake. I did already say it was the first time that Chile beat Peru in Peru in 24 years though.

    I definitely agree though, when everyone is rooting for the same thing this feels like a different place. :)

    Viviana, your website is a great idea, but spamming people’s blogs is really rude.

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 31, 2009 @ 1:41 pm

  22. no way! i have been reading your blog for a while and started my own up not too long ago so im kinda new to this while little community of gringa bloggers :)

    i have been to grandville probably a million times to go to the rivertown mall and we sometimes ran against them in cross-country and track. im from wayland so we always go to either GR or Kalamazoo for more action lol. also my sister goes to UofM so i was near ypsi a couple times over summer/winter break.

    Comment by emilyta — March 31, 2009 @ 3:21 pm

  23. So random Emily! What HS did you go to? I have tons of friends who ran cross, although I never did. I played soccer and cheered.

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 31, 2009 @ 3:23 pm

  24. hola Kyle, hasta hoy era tu amiga, pero despues de este comentario: “I expect Chile to beat the Bolivias”…not anymore!! ja,ja,ja (solo estoy bromeando por si acaso)

    En cuanto al tema del futbol, ser de Bolivia es un completo desastre: sueños rotos, ilusiones pisoteadas, esperanzas desbaratadas…eso es lo que puedes esperar. Una sola vez en la historia en la copa mundial y that’s it, punto final.

    Menos mal que no te has enamorado de un boliviano, sino el llanto hubiera sido tu modus vivendi. LOL

    Extraño el futbol!!! el ultimo partido que he visto en vivo ha sido USA vs Mexico en Chicago hace dos años.

    Cuando vas a venir a Wisconsin?

    Comment by Eliana Turner — March 31, 2009 @ 8:17 pm

  25. Jajaja, disculpame Eliana…pero no me ilusiono tanto…el futbol del equipo de los EEUU tambien es un desastre. Hace dos dias que empatamos con El Salvador. EL SALVADOR!!!!!!!!!!!!! Asi que si, siento tu pena.

    Y dentro de los ultimos anos que llevo viviendo en Chile el equipo ha sido ido de mal a peor…hasta el ultimo ano mas o menos.

    Entonces hay esperanza para Bolivia tambien. Despues de que Bielsa termine aqui se lo mandamos para el norte para usar su magia en Bolivia. :)

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — March 31, 2009 @ 8:25 pm

  26. bueno, retiro todo lo dicho: Bolivia 6 – Argentina 1 !!

    Que ha pasado? sera la altura?

    Comment by Eliana Turner — April 1, 2009 @ 5:45 pm

  27. Eliana, cuando supe las noticias pense que era una broma de April Fools, jajajaja! Pero no, en serio, Bolivia deberia haber hecho un partido INCREIBLE. Y por supuesto que la altura influye algo pero…6-1…debe ser algun merito de los jugadores tambien! Impresionante, felicitaciones a tu querido Bolivia!

    Comment by Mamacita Chilena — April 1, 2009 @ 5:47 pm

  28. hehehehe… NO HAY NADA MEJOR QUE UN BUEN PARTIDO DE FUT !!!!

    I get a kick everytime Hubby’s buddies tell him how lucky he his that his wife not just tolerates football, but actually LOVES it…. I can’t help rolling my eyes and going “dudes! hello? I grew up in MEXICO!!!!”…..

    I mean ok, the mexican futbol league provides more aggravation than admiration but excuse me? did we not give the world (and the Real Madrid) Hugo Sanchez? In any case, soccer is our national sport and when it comes to the World Cup us mexicans literally go nuts even if we’ve never made it past quarter finals.

    I can relate to how you feel about the chilean footbal (sorry but I refuse to say soccer) team… in Mexico people are really feral about “El Tricolor”… we just stand behind our team no matter what… I tend to do the same for “Les Bleus”, the French team although it hasn’t always been easy for them… we had Zidane for a while (notice how I used “we”?) and that made it awesome but ever since he left, Domenech has been having a hard time putting together a team of the same quality of 98….

    Still, here’s hoping 2010 will provide us with grand teams on both side of the Atlantic, north AND south of the Equator and that the games will be good and the ambiente exciting and contagious!!!

    Fned.

    Comment by Fned — April 3, 2009 @ 11:59 pm

  29. [...] It’s not that I don’t like the Chilean soccer team. I love them under Bielsa. Before I was embarrassed by the players’ crappy attitudes and lack of professionalism and refused to root for them because they were classless. But, El Loco has turned them around. Gone are the days of sexual harassment and destroying public property at hotels, getting drunk the night before a game and playing half assed on the field. Hello to the days of beating Argentina and making this country a better place to live in, and making a splendid qualifying run to this year’s big show (which I totally predicted). [...]

    Pingback by Kyle Hepp Photography — June 17, 2010 @ 12:34 am

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