Victory, Patriotism, and Community

Portugal's underdog Euro victory served as a beautiful counterpoint to the critics and doubters who derided the team. Many complained about Portugal's 'ugly' style of play, their seeming reliance on Ronaldo, and their 'luck'. It seemed like the world didn't want to acknowledge the tactical genius and skill of Portugal's squad. The team's vanquishing of tournament hosts and favorites France was a slap in the face to many, but more importantly, an uplifting moment for a community far from its ancestral home. 

The Portuguese community in Montreal, numbering about 40,000 was elated to see their team win their first major international tournament, celebrating every victory along the way too. After each win, fans gathered on the corner of Rachel and St. Laurent streets to celebrate. As early as Portugal's round of 16 win against Croatia, fans gleefully partied in the street and paraded. With each successive win, against Poland, and then against Wales, the crowds grew larger. After Portugal's narrow victory over France in the final, I arrived in Little Portugal to find St. Laurent closed off and full of celebrating Portugal fans. The atmosphere was remarkable. The crowd chanted, danced, and reveled in the glory of a victory against all odds. When the whole crowd began to sing the Portuguese national anthem, I swelled with pride and sang along. The patriotic jubilation of that moment was unparalleled and beautiful in a way words cannot do justice. Of course, there are countless critics of the linkage between sports, patriotism, and nationalism. This misguided New York Times article, for example. lambastes the 'Europhilia' of American soccer culture and brings up a few disgusting but isolated incidents of prejudice to decry the idea of soccer as a unifier. This article was incredibly flawed and written by somebody who even professes not to have a deep knowledge of soccer. Its generalized, weak criticisms of nationalistic soccer spirit don't hold up. Portugal's European Championship win instead demonstrates the value of sports as a vehicle for productive patriotism. 

Amidst the lively victory celebrations, at least here in Montreal, there was no violence, no vandalism, and no division. French fans walked the same streets that Portuguese fans rejoiced on. In fact, a few even surprisingly joined into the festivities. I observed none of the divisive reactions described by the NYT article's author. In fact, there was an unmistakable sense of unity about the celebration. We were all united by our heritage and its celebration despite our various differences. Each person has their own story and faces their own particular challenges. Within Montreal's Lusophone community, there are various different subgroups. Geographically, fans hail from the mainland, the islands, and even Portuguese speaking countries like Angola. There is a marked social class difference between the older blue-collar Portuguese community anchored in Little Portugal and the younger, more educated white-collar Portuguese who inhabit Laval and Anjou. In victory, however, the Portuguese proved to be one people under the same flag. This unity strengthens the fabric of a community thousands of miles away from its heritage. To some, sports may seem trivial. However, to immigrant communities, sports serves as a link to the homeland and a way of preserving culture. The Euro victory forged a connection even between the most assimilated Portuguese and the most traditional. In essence, winning reinvigorated national pride for a community that long has faced an uphill battle in staying active and connected. With an aging population, suburbanization, and gradual assimilation, it sometimes seems as if Montreal's Portuguese community is declining. However, victory brought the community together, showcased its pride, and made it stronger. 

There's no doubt that sports can be a constructive manner of rousing patriotic sentiment and building unity. It's time we acknowledge that patriotism can strengthen the fabric of communities. Something as seemingly basic as a sports victory can mean a lot more to a group of expats.