By Juan Soto
As the king of Spain was abdicating his throne in favor of his son, Spain’s national team in the World Cup was also abdicating its crown — unexpectedly early in the international tournament.
But while Juan Carlos I handed the crown to Felipe VI, Spain, and the rest of the world, don’t know who is next in the soccer succession line. The July 13 final will reveal the new soccer king.
Fans in Queens were a little disappointed because of Spain’s premature exit from the matches in Brazil. After all, there are better ways to defend a crown.
“To be knocked out in the first round was hard to believe,” said Spaniard Sara Bouzas, a Woodside resident. “I was extremely disappointed.”
Bouzas, like fellow Spaniards around Queens and the rest of the city, were hoping to see Spain advance to the final rounds of the biggest sporting event on the planet.
But like the country entering a new era with a new king, Spain’s national team is also beginning a new chapter in its history. After all, in the last six years Spain made history by winning back-to-back European Championships and in between the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
“It is a new era for Spain,” added the Woodside resident. “Del Bosque [Spain’s coach] will replace some of the older players and will rebuild another winning team.”
But as Spain was being sent home from the world stage, Chilean fans were ecstatic after defeating the world champions and advancing to the knockout round of 16.
“Everyone was happy here,” said a waitress at San Antonio Bakery, an eatery on Astoria Boulevard which is a favorite spot among soccer fans from Chile. “There was a lot of people here, and everyone was happy, very happy.”
But as the nation’s most diverse county, all Queens neighborhoods feel the soccer passion every time a referee whistles the end of the game. Just this week, Roosevelt Avenue was inundated with Colombian, Mexican and Uruguayan fans, while Greek fans took the streets in Astoria after the team’s late penalty goal against Ivory Coast that qualified them for the round of 16 for the first time in the squad’s history. The Spartans are back.
In Jamaica, O Lavrador, a Portuguese Restaurant on 101st Avenue, was jamming with Sunday’s Portugal-U.S. match. Hundreds gathered around the seven TVs, two 120-inch-high definition screen projectors and a Jumbotron outdoors that were at the eatery.
“It was crazy,” said Manuela Henriques, manager at the restaurant. “It was an electrifying game.”
Henriques said the crowd was about 60 percent behind Portugal and 40 percent for the U.S. team. The game coincided with a festival that O Lavrador celebrates every year for the festival of St. John.
Reach reporter Juan Soto by email at jsoto@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
