Inevitably, at an event like this, especially when your home team isn't playing, you tend to pick a plucky underdog team that you'll support throughout the tournament. Apart from the obvious, and oft talked about Scottish and Trinidadian connection, this time, I chose South Korea. Why? Well, while in Frankfurt, Keir and I walked up to the Waldstadion one evening to see if they had any returns. There were none, but on the tram on the way home we met some very friendly young Koreans. Most were students from London, but a father and son had flown in from South Korea, and there was also a Turkish lad with them (there seems to be some special camaraderie between the South Koreans and the Turks - we believe they met in the third place play-offs last time round).
Anyway, after such a nice experience, when we arrived back in town I thought I'd adopt the Fighting Korean Red Devils as my team, and consequently for the rest of the evening, I was surrounded by South Koreans wanting their photograph taken with me, as well as an explanation of why I was wearing a their t-shirt. They were very impressed to have a Scot as a supporter.
We next went to an evening of South Korean and Togan culture which was beautiful, and there we met a South Korean who had cycled to Frankfurt all the way from Istanbul (Turkish connection again) "because it was hard" and he wanted to show young people that "achievement requires hard work, but pays results". Keir and I were also interviewed on Korean TV and had to shout "Fighting Korea" at their camera! Quite what the people of South Korea will make of us I don't know.
They are by far the nicest people we've met since we've come out here, and they're also great ambassadors for their country. Loads of people we've since spoken to said the same.
This World Cup SO isn't just about football.
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