World Cup stands become a national identity stage with Viking oars and traffic cones
At the World Cup in the United States, Norwegian fans' Viking rowing ritual and Scottish fans' traffic cone tradition have left their mark on the tournament. Experts say these performances are a new form of cultural expression that transcends national boundaries.
Fans from all over the world are adding color to the World Cup with displays reflecting their national identities. What happened in the stands after Norway's 3-2 victory over Senegal in New Jersey overshadowed the result on the pitch.
Rather than erupting in wild celebration, thousands of Norwegian fans began rowing in their seats. With captain Martin Odegaard beating a large drum, players on the field joined the ritual, rowing along with the stands.
Viking ritual spills onto New York streets
Sitting shoulder to shoulder, mimicking rowing a giant Viking longship and chanting "ro," the Norwegian word for "row," fans have turned the display into their team's signature support. The ritual has been repeated everywhere from subway trains to escalators in New York and New Jersey.
Among the Norwegians who took over Times Square on Monday was Ashley Locke, a 34-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee. "There is nothing like a moment where everyone shares the same energy," Locke told NBC News. "It was very cool and special, something you wouldn't experience outside the World Cup."
First emerging in a March friendly against Switzerland, the viral trend quickly turned into a national celebration that has become a trademark of sorts for Norway. The Norwegian team had already paid homage to their historical roots by donning Viking costumes in a farewell photo before the tournament. Norway, which had not qualified for the World Cup in 28 years before this summer, is now rowing its way toward the knockout rounds.
The Tartan Army and traffic cones
Scottish fans, known as the Tartan Army, have also made their presence felt in Boston and Miami during the group stage. Around 50,000 Scottish fans flocked to Boston to celebrate with enthusiasm despite the team's mixed performance in the tournament.
Fans wearing traditional Scottish kilts frequently announce their arrival with the sound of bagpipes echoing through the streets. Before Scotland's unfortunate match against Brazil on Wednesday, a large contingent of the Tartan Army attended a Miami Marlins baseball game with their bagpipes and parties. Fans also kept alive a more modern Scottish tradition by adorning statues in both cities with traffic cones.
The power of cultural expression across borders
Swiss fans are known for their cowbells, while South Africa's plastic vuvuzela horns will not be seen at this year's tournament. The vuvuzela, widely used during the 2010 tournament hosted in the country, has been banned from World Cup stadiums along with other noisemakers.
"What we are observing in the stands and on the streets during this World Cup in North America is a very interesting expression of national identity that signals a shift in how culture is produced and circulated in global sport," said Paul Widdop, associate professor of sport business management at Manchester Metropolitan University. "What matters is not whether these practices are authentic or traditional. What matters is that they function as simple, repeatable forms of cultural expression that are recognizable across borders," Widdop said.
Congo's living statue
For fans of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the symbol of national identity has taken a very different form. Congolese supporters have rallied around Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, who attends matches as a living statue representing the country's national hero, assassinated independence leader and Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba.
The super fan, better known as Lumumba Vea, first drew attention at last year's Africa Cup of Nations by dressing as Lumumba and remaining completely motionless throughout matches. Wearing a bright red jacket and tie, Mboladinga was in the spotlight again Tuesday as he recreated the pose of the Lumumba statue in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, during the group match against Colombia in Boston.
Considered a symbol of Congolese independence, Lumumba led the country out of Belgian colonial rule in 1960, became its first prime minister and was assassinated just months later. Although Congo lost 1-0 to Colombia, Widdop said "nations are not only represented on the pitch; they are made visible through these emotional performances off it."
In Congo, which continues to grapple with armed conflict in its eastern regions and recurring public health crises, symbols of national resilience carry particular emotional weight. Mboladinga, who missed his country's opening match against Portugal due to Ebola quarantine restrictions, has now become a social media star. Widdop added that fans communicating through such symbolic forms of expression are "not only expressing identity but also producing recognizable emotional signals that others can immediately understand about their country."
