All things must pass, but please god, please not today.
Yet another early start, up and out of our hotel for 9am for a midday kick off in the 95 degree heat. A quick walk to the Midtown Station on the MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transport Authority) public transport system, southbound to Five Points, change and then to Vine City and the stadium.
All the trains were heaving with supporters, loads of England, Columbia, Mexico, USA, Congo and Brazil shirts. We met a lovely American couple, Greg and Amy who we got talking to. Greg had been to nine World Cups, Amy had been to four, Kirsty five and myself 11. So between us we had been to 29. Greg had a 1986 England shirt on and Amy a Spurs shirt, but both had Kane on the back. I did say to them that it was a sign that King Harry would get two goals today. Greg laughed and said he hoped I was right and we made our way into the stadium.
And what a stadium the Mercedes Benz stadium is. Fully air conditioned and built by Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United and founder of Home Depot, this is by far and away the best stadium we have visited so far. Opened in 2017, it’s famous for its ‘Pinwheel’ roof which stayed closed and fans first pricing.
We witnessed the Halo Board: A 360-degree, 58-foot-tall, and 1,100-foot-long HD video screen, the first and largest of its kind in professional sports which picked up so many fans during the game and on BBC News later.
Mr Blank has revolutionised stadium food costs, offering significantly reduced “street-priced” concessions, so here a beer was only $9 vs $19 in Dallas and $24 in New Jersey. Every English football team needs its very own Arthur Blank, Mr Kretinsky please take note!
We grabbed a few ice cold beers and found Colin who had managed to get a place in the accessible platform. We picked up a couple of souvenir cups for Barrie and start to get ready for the kick off. We also bumped into Thomas a Newcastle United fan from the FSA. Always great to see him and appreciate the work Free Lions do for us on the ground when England play away.
It’s do or die time now and this always brings me to a very, very anxious place. Not many people understand why I get so anxious, I don’t really understand it either and can only put it down to the years and years of travelling to support England only to end in disappointment. Lose today and we go home. ‘Twas ever thus.
The teams came out and the National Anthems were impeccably respected by all fans. Well done England fans again for showing that respect, the Karma Police and our team always appreciate that.
We were right behind the goal in amongst it all atmosphere wise and as usual we stood up for the whole game. It was so tense and yet again England made a very poor start this time conceding an early goal up the other end. Our defence was all over the place, not for the first time out here and that could be our ultimate undoing.
We drifted through to half time and hoped that the next 45 minutes would yield salvation, although it must be said that the Congo goalie, Lionel Mpasi made at least four great saves. But Wissa also hit the post for them. So the game was wide open.
The ice cold beers on top of a breakfast-free stomach started to take their toll and the gents were definitely calling. Substitutes were being made by Thomas Tuchel and it felt very much the last roll of the dice to all of us. There are screens everywhere in this stadium and just as I was headed back to my seat Harry Kane got his goal. Another cracking header. That was such a huge relief and I felt would get us properly back in the game. I think that goal was on 75 mins, and by the time I got back to Kirsty everyone was going mad.
The family in front of us, a dad Matt and his two young sons, Charlie and Toby all Evertonians, had been properly down in the dumps, one of the boys being in tears as soon as Congo had scored. The young couple next to us, both Baggies fans, had delayed getting a house and a dog to be here for the World Cup, and were now starting to believe too.
A few minutes later, Harry Kane nailed his second goal. It was hit so hard and travelled so fast none of us, including Mpasi, really saw it, and only realised it was a goal until when the net just bulged. Beer went up in the air and limbs were everywhere. The collective joy was simply incredible and the feeling of sheer relief was everywhere. I’ve not seen joy like that since Gary Lineker scored that equaliser in Turin in Italia 90.
It felt like all we needed to now was hold on. I have no idea how much extra time was played, but it ran out eventually along with my finger nails and we won, and that’s all that matters. Mexico in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City lay in waiting.
At the end of the game, the England team stood in front of us whilst us fans serenaded them with ‘Wonderwall’. It was obvious that it meant a lot to our boys. We will need to be as one inside The Azteca Stadium on Sunday.
Colin and I met up with Mitch, an Atlanta United supporter post game and had a great chat. So many people we have met in Atlanta are so friendly and so proud of their city and region. Mitch was a great example of this and a big fan of Mr Arthur Blank.
Kirsty, myself and Colin then meandered out of the stadium and headed to a bar our friends from New York had recommended. Heidi (the joint host of the rooftop party in New York) and Anthony (who we had also met at the party) had been given tickets for the game at short notice so had flown in the previous day. They were joined by their friend Owen who lived in Atlanta. Taffer’s in Midtown was suitably fitted out with big screens and was more than comfortable.
We watched the Belgium vs Senegal (3-2) game and then the USA vs Bosnia Herzegovina (2-0) game together with Mark and Sam. We had to do another BBC5Live interview live from a toilet this time.
Another cracking evening of football with lovely people was had. It really is what the World Cup is all about.
Kirsty and I walked back to our hotel, exhausted and hot.
We did another quick piece for BBC5Live Breakfast and then to bed.
Footnote – the lovely West Brom supporting couple who we stood next to in the ground, only turned out to be friends of our niece Tabitha. Tabbie had seen us on TV standing next to them and had messaged Kirsty. What are the chances of that happening!!
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