Under sweltering conditions outside Lincoln Financial Field, fans packed the parking lots and kept the party going ahead of France and Paraguay in Philadelphia’s final World Cup match.
The game is set to be the second-hottest World Cup game ever played, with a high of 100 degrees expected. And yet, hundreds of fans still turned out to tailgate before the game, albeit fewer than the lot has had for previous games.
For Paraguayan fans Juan Carlos and Alejandro Plate, this game specifically was a can’t-miss opportunity, given the stakes. The winner of the July 4 match will advance to the final 8 in the World Cup, with the loser eliminated. It’s the first and only Philadelphia game of the “knockout stage”, the equivalent of the “playoffs” in other sports.
“This run [for Paraguay] has been incredible; we’ve never seen anything like this,” Alejandro said. “We had to be here today.”
An appearance for Paraguay in the quarterfinals(round of 8) would be just their second ever, and their first since their last World Cup appearance in 2010. It wouldn’t be the first time they made history in this tournament, nevertheless. The team pulled off one of the biggest upsets so far, beating Germany in a penalty shootout to win.
“It gave me a heart attack,” fan Victor Diaz said. “But we got the job done.”
The team will face a tough challenge, however, in the current favorites to win the entire tournament. France has yet to lose a match, and will look to display the same dominance they showed in a June 22 match vs. Iraq in Philadelphia. Their fans, for good reason, felt confident going to this match.
“We’re going to destroy them,” said young French supporter Edward Jones. “I don’t expect it to be anywhere near as close as the last game[a 3-0 win for the team over Sweden for France].”
Even with the edge on the field, French fans found themselves outnumbered. A large majority of Paraguay fans filled the venue, with their cries of “Vamos Paraguay” heard loud and clear.
“It’s going to be a crazy atmosphere in there,” Jones said. “There’s a lot of them in there, and we’re just going to have to going to have to match them.”
Handling the heat
Despite the strong turnout, the brutal heat was impossible to ignore. Pavement radiated under the relentless sun, and more fans than at previous matches sought refuge beneath tents and canopies.
For many of the Paraguay fans, though, the weather was not a problem. Longtime supporter Jorge Aguero stressed that the weather was just like what he would often experience when living in Paraguay decades ago.
“Right now, in my country, it’s winter, and it’s 126-130 degrees,” he said. “This is nothing.”
Fan Alejandro Plate even pointed to the heat as a potential advantage for Paraguay in the game, given their comfort with the humidity.
“We learned in Paraguay to play in the hot weather,” he said. “This is what we are made of, so you never know, we could [win the game].”
French fans were less enthusiastic about the conditions. To French fan Kevin [declined to give his last name], though, it was a situation out of the team’s control.
“If we could choose for it to be a little cooler, we’d obviously take that,” he said. “But it should still be a pretty great game.”
A new generation of fans experience World Cup soccer
While America wasn’t participating in the game, the environment around it was still very focused on the country’s 250th birthday. Tailgaters in the lots were decked in “Uncle Sam” hats, and all kinds of US flag apparel.
Even those not celebrating the holiday, embodied one of the traditions of July 4: spending time with family. Plenty of young fans gathered with their relatives, to celebrate their love of soccer together.
Nick Canwar, a French fan, had high hopes for the atmosphere at the game, as he took his toddler to his first World Cup game.
“I hope it’s somewhat like what you see at European stadiums, with the chants,” he said. “We’re so excited that our kid will get to see all of that.”
Many of the Paraguayan fans’ tailgates felt like family gatherings, as relatives got together to see their team chase history.
Fan Mathias Baez said he was happy his father, who he was tailgating with, got to experience the squad’s last victory.
“He hasn’t seen them win since 2010; they haven’t won a knockout game,” he said. “To see the smile on his face, like he was a kid again, was amazing.”
The last time the two teams played in a Round of 16 game at the World Cup, it ended in heartbreak for Paraguay. The team lost 1-0 in 1998, after a goal by France’s Laurent Blanc sent them home. Diaz stressed that he was looking for a different result this time, and to share the moment with friends and family.
“This is going to be our revenge,” he said. “I can’t wait.”
Adam Denn is an intern reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach him at apdenn@delawareonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: France, Paraguay fans battle historic heat for July 4 World Cup match
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