Not to boast and brag, but everything about Arabs is special.
Have you tried watching a heated football match in any Arab country? Have you surrounded yourself with hardcore fans who might not even know the capital of the country they're cheering for?
Well, you're in luck then, because we're taking you on a brief tour of the crazy moments that happen when watching football, the Arab way.
Let's goal!
1. The commentator’s passion
Arab football commentary is infamously known for being passionate - way too passionate.
Commentators like Issam Chaouali and Raouf Khleif are recognizable around the region for having lungs of steel. They are so emotionally invested that they would scream as if every moment of the game is a goal celebration.
Some common expressions are “Ya rabbah,” “Allah 3aleik,” and of course, the extremely loud “Yewasa33333.”
The narration is so melodramatic you’ll end up on an emotional roller coaster of your own.
2. Mispronouncing pretty much everything
Whether it’s the name of a footballer, coach, referee, staff member, or the name of the stadium, city, or even the team, we are all guilty of mispronouncing their foreign names.
As non-native English speakers, some words are just challenging, like Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, known in the Arab world as “chambirlin.”
It’s all fun and games until the German teams come into the picture.
3. The ideal place to watch a game is ironically a shisha café
Arabs and their shisha... It's a better love story than Twilight.
We like to involve our hookah pipes in every aspect of our daily lives; watching football is no exception.
Observing healthy athletes run across a green field for 90 minutes should be done while inhaling toxic chemicals into our lungs, because why not?
4. El Clásico is a social event
El Clásico is the match between famous Spanish rivals, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.
Whether or not you support one of the two teams, one thing is for sure: you are always looking forward to the next Clásico.
Restaurants, cafes, and pubs are usually fully booked as fans celebrate victory on the streets of various Arab cities.
