(Originally published in local paper Savonmaa in Finnish, translation for the fun and joy of my Non-Finnish speaking friends)
Football unites what politics separates. This at least in
Belgium, but also in many other countries. Nowadays maybe even in Finland.
As we know, Belgium is a country where Flemish and
wallonians first dispute with themselves and then with each others. You get the
impression by thinking of council of Savonlinna, double it and put the halfs to
speak two different languages. It goes easy like a spider with skis crossed in
all of its legs.
Belgium competes in a league of its own as a world record
holder as a country woth a longest period without a government. After the
elections in May 2019 the negotiations went up until last October. With that
Belgium was close to break its own record of 541 days without a government that
was made in 2011. Amount of people who then led the negotiations equals the
amount of players in a football team.
Which leads us to the point. Football is besides the royal
family another great unifying factor in Belgium. It’s just more fun to watch.
Situations vary more and seremonies are shorter.
Red Devis, Rode Duivels or Les Diables Rouges, as they are
equally called in home languages have carried their name, given because of
their red shirts, since 1906. The national team, founded in 1904 started with
red, then changed the colour but came soon to their senses when their new
shirts were blamed to be the ugliest in a world. When the reds beat the Dutch
then, a s[orts journalist named they as Red Devils, the name that has stuck
ever since.
Fireworks banged in a park last Sunday when Belgium had
beaten the Russia. The Flemish and the Wallonians supported equally their team
and their brewery.
And like a reference to the country’s colonial past, the
best scorer is of Kongolese background, Romelu Lukaku, who was born in a
Flemish Antwerp, speaks fluently seven languages plus football. It’s a
tantalising thought that Lukaku’s success is also a reply to racist Vlaams
Belang, strong in Antwerp. This racism unfortunately comes also to the side of
a football field and also against that the Red Devils must fight.
When the Red Devils face the Eagle Owls next Monday, is
Belgium once again red. Despite who runs in the field and where his parents
come from, people cheer and sigh at their play and only goals are counted. Just like in Finland. I look
forward how Hradecky glues Lukaku’s shots in to his hands an I admire them
both.
I have seen five years ago how Finland was close to beat Belgium in a friendly game
at the Roi Baudoin stadium. Kasper
Hämäläinen scored and made the Finnish audience shout. Then came the last
minute and Lukaku mede the equaliser. Oh, if i could get back that misery. Fireworks
would be silent in the park. I’m sure the Belgians could take that.