World Cup 2026

Dallas airport, USA, June 13

sitting in a TGI Fridays in Dallas airport, watching the Moroccans, a team in terms of individual class second only to France, giving Brazil a very, very hard time. Saibari, days away from getting signed by my team, Bayern, scored in a real display of class. The team to watch…

Entry into the US? Unspectacular, professional, trouble free, as expected. Ten thousands pouring into Dallas for the Japanese game here tomorrow against the Dutch. Another game where a fresh, young non European contender might give an established powerhouse a hard time.
Immigration? Checked social media accounts? Rejected entry? Indecent questions or respectless behavior? Nonsense. Toxic, prejudice based and overblown. The president of Germanys most embarrassing and pretentious football club, St. Pauli, who tried to pressure the Germans into a debate to boycott this World Cup, gave an interview today, broadly featured in my home country, in which he called – a German, remember – American politics „nearly fascistic“…Thank God no one here cares. We might not win this tournament, but no one will stop my home country from winning the moral superiority trophy. „One love“ shirts, anyone?

My second home country, (at times a lot easier than my first one) arrived in Dallas in numbers. In REAL numbers. Samurai Blue, what a stupid name. Thousands of Tsubasas. Silent, a bit shy, all generations, groups as well as singles, and what a change over 2 decades. Just 5, 6 World Cups ago very small groups of younger men showed up in blue, a handful, and now: a silent and friendly army. The coolest most switched on shirts, futuristic, artistic, anime inspired. And, a self esteem that grew visibly. Not here to look good only. Here to finally break through….A ferocious last minute Belgian counter attack cost them their place at the sun in Qatar 2022, and wins against England and Brazil this year and trashing Germany twice in the last years clearly let the Japanese chests grow…

Served by a waiter from Jamaica, Haiti, a Kurdish guy and a young trans woman from El Salvadorian, a great vibe. Uncomplicated, positive professionalism. This country has width, in all senses. Much more than most of its critics….

Off to Houston…