Soccer fans across Greater Victoria packed into pubs and community halls to watch the World Cup final Sunday morning, as France trounced Croatia 4-2.
Croatian fans dressed in red and white checkered jerseys filled the Croatian Cultural Centre hall on Gordon Head Road, where not an empty seat could be found. The hall erupted into cheers and people jumped up and down as Ivan Perisic scored Croatia’s first goal to tie things up early in the first half.
Within minutes, the crowd groaned and people brought their hands to their face in disbelief as Antoine Griezmann scored France’s second goal on a penalty.
Nevenka Kalabric, a Croatian-born 62-year-old who came to Canada in 1974, was still optimistic that her team was going to come back to win it.
“This is big. You can’t explain the feeling for a small country. I’ve got chills. I’m going to cry,” she said.
Roko Nikolic, 54, a child of Croatian immigrants, said the energy level in the hall was a “12 out of 10.”
“It’s the smallest country since 1930 to make the finals,” he said. “Soccer is the glue that brings everybody together, it’s part of the culture.”
Ana Kardum, 61, was born in Croatia but spent 10 years living in France until the family moved to Canada when she was 17.
“I respect France but Croatia, it’s in my heart. We’re winners already, even if we lose today we’re winners.”
Rudi Ranogajec, who helped organize the events in the hall of the Croatian Catholic Church St. Leopold Mandic, said regardless of the outcome, just making it to the final is the “biggest sporting event in our country’s history.”
The second half of the match was all about France, with two more goals in short succession. French fans decked out in blue jerseys and waving red white and blue flags roared as they filled the Games Room of the Stratchona Hotel.
Hema Paupiah, a French-speaker from Mauritius, said she blown away by the energy in the room.
“I think it’s great to have a setting like this, to be able to experience the game on the big screen,” she said.
Her friend Nouria, from Paris, piped in: “Also, to see all these people cheering for France, it’s like being at home.”
As the final whistle blew, with France holding onto its lead despite a giveaway goal from the French goal keeper, French fans leapt to their feet, embraced each other and chanted “Allez les bleus.”
Remi Bass, a 29-year-old from Marseilles, raised his France scarf over his head in victory. He planned to call his family in France and celebrate for the rest of the day.
Gaspard De-Abreau, a 42-year-old from Chateau-Thierry, said his predictions of a French victory were spot on.
“I dreamed to have that since the beginning.”
