Kompas Gramedia League –SKF player M Rafiq Ramdhani tries to pass two players of the Boynton Knights from South America in the second Group 4 match in the Boys 15 category of the Gothia Cup at the Grona Vallen pitch in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Tuesday (18/7). In the second match, LKG-SKF won 6-0 to stay top of the group table and in pole position to go through to the next round.
GOTHENBURG, KOMPAS – The Indonesia Kompas Gramedia-SKF League (LKG-SKF) team put aside their kits, cleats and other football equipment for a moment on Monday afternoon (17/7). In front of the over 50,000 people that packed Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden, the team had another mission that was just as important as winning a football match: showing the world the beauty, uniqueness and warmth of Indonesian diversity.
Kompas’s reporter in Gotherburg, Herpin Dewanto, reported that on that afternoon, Ullevi Stadium was once again abuzz with the opening ceremony of the Gothia Cup, the largest international youth football tournament. This year, 1,763 teams from 82 countries are participating in the tournament, which was first held in 1975. The LKG-SKF team is among them.
When they were asked by the organizing committee in early July to take part in the opening ceremony, the LKG-SKF team, which is made up of players selected from the U-14 Kompas Gramedia Panasonic League, was enthusiastic. After a brief discussion, they agreed to join the parade wearing traditional Indonesian costumes, including those of Central Java, East Java, Maluku, Bali and South Sumatera.
“I chose to wear clothes from Bali because my mother works in Bali. She sent them to me straight away,” said defender M Azka Al Chawari. He also believed that people of other countries would easily recognize Indonesia from the Balinese costume.
The team promised to grab the attention of other participants in their traditional attire, while they also prepared dances and songs to raise more interest. It turns out they fulfilled their promise in Sweden. Two hours before the opening ceremony began, the team had already stolen the public’s attention on Bohusgatan, a street that heads towards the stadium built in 1958.
Walking along the street in their traditional costumes and carrying the Indonesian flag, they sang all sorts of songs to rouse the crowd. They sang regional songs, dangdut songs, the chants of Indonesian club fans and even the children’s song, “Pelangi” (rainbow).
The afternoon was all the more enjoyable because they had just beaten Norway’s Floro SK 2-0 in the first Group 4 match of the Boys 15 category.
The people along Bohusgatan smiled and took pictures of the LKG-SKF team’s parade using their mobile phones. The team stood out among the teams from other countries who only wore the standard tracksuit jacket and bottoms, which made them all look the same. The Gothia Cup organizing committee videoed their parade and uploaded it on the official Instagram account.
“I am happy to see such enthusiasm. The clothes they wear is really interesting and I have never seen it before,” said local resident Eva Jarlsdotter, who asked the team to pose so she could take a picture of them.
Eva’s curiosity led her to ask many questions about Indonesia. The mission of the LKG-SKF team to introduce Indonesian culture was accomplished.
Inside the stadium, the LKG-SKF team was fourth in the parade line-up. They walked around the stadium and waved their hands to spectators in the stands, whose cheers combined with the blaring music.
The excitement inside the stadium, which was built to host the 1958 World Cup and was also host to the 2004 UEFA Cup final, helped distract them from the increasingly cold night air. Apart from the parade, the opening ceremony also featured performances by a number of top Swedish artists and a fireworks display.
Breaking boundaries
During the opening ceremony, Gothia Cup secretary general Dennis Anderson said that football could break the bounds that have divided people. Everyone could be united on a football field.
“That is the spirit of the Gothia Cup we have maintained. Seeing the happiness in the participants makes me happy,” he said.
The participants who hail from dozens of countries is what makes the Gothia Cup special. Football becomes the platform for youths from all around the world to get to know one another. Every team will certainly play to win, but the victory is a bonus. Friendship, experience and the lessons of sportsmanship gained during the tournament are far more valuable.
In fact, before the tournament began, SKF teams from different countries took part in a party at the International School of the Gothenburg Region (ISGR), Sunday afternoon (16/7). They danced together, took selfies, or simply chatted. The Indonesia LKG-SKF team also played their part, performing the song “Poco-Poco” by Yopie Latul and asking other participants to dance along.
