Johannesburg, July 12: Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s comments before the World Cup told a story. It was a story that revealed that regional divisions in Spain were far deeper than they would appear to the outside world.
“I don’t care about Spain’s results at the World Cup. I don’t care even though the Spanish squad has a sizeable number of Barcelona players,” Laporta had said. For many Catalans, Spain isn’t their country. They have a different language and culture.
Spanish nationalism is not for them. Like Catalunia, the Basque Country and Galicia also have aspirations that may be different from that of a Madrid resident. Spain has 17 regions with varying degree of autonomy.
But the World Cup has rallied Spaniards of disparate regions into one team.
The triumphant La Roja squad has Basques and Catalans, among others. Spanish fans forgot their regional allegiances to celebrate the momentous occasion at Soccer City on Sunday night.
Xabi, who was dancing like there would be no tomorrow, said: “Laporta can’t claim to speak for all Catalans. I know many Catalans who have been supporting the national team passionately. It is good that he is not holding the Barca post now. I’m a Basque and I have no problem in celebrating Spain’s win. This is time to rejoice,” he said.
“At the same time, I’m a proud Basque. I believe our problems are real. But we will not try to sort them out through football.”
Jose Arana, a man wearing a Bilbao jersey, said he was in South Africa “as a representative of the Basque country as well as Spain.”
“I’m thrilled that Spain have won. But the Basque causes are dearer sto my heart. We don’t have a Mandela to unite Spain. Yes, the World Cup has brought everyone together in our country,” he added.