As we travel through Europe, we have felt the effects of the Euro 2008 football tournaments. When Turkey beat Croatia, hundreds of Turkish fans marched and drove around and around in the square in front of our hotel at 2:30 AM (it went into overtime, then a penalty shootout) blowing their horns, yelling at the top of their lungs, and waving Turkish flags.
I was walking with our Amish and Mennonite tour group through Zurich and we stopped in front of the statue of Ulrich Zwingli. I went to a stand and was wanting to buy a cone. A lady came along and said, “I am from Turkey! I will pay your cone.” I thought she was Muslim and liked the fact that our ladies were modestly dressed, had head coverings, and that many of the men had beards. However, later I realized that I was wearing a red shirt (entirely coincidentally) and she thought I was supporting Turkey!
That night we watched the game (Turkey vs. Germany, the semifinal) with a bunch of seminary students from the college we’re staying at. They were mostly cheering for Deutschland (being Swiss cousins) and our group was mostly cheering for Turkey (despite being of German descent). I certainly was cheering for Turkey, having just been to Turkey, having Turkish friends, and a free ice cream cone. I have German friends as well, so I was a bit torn, but the Turks being underdogs and the free ice cream clinched the deal.
It was an incredible game! It was tied 1-1 most of the game. At around the 12 min. remaining mark, DE scored a goal making it 1-2. The Turks went berserk and made tons of long passes down the field and lots of aggressive shots. Finally a Turk beat a German on the baseline (or whatever they call it in soccer) and made a high angle shot on the goal. The goalie had his hands all lined up and the ball was only inches away from his hands when another Turk slid in, barely tapping it, diverting it only several inches and into the goal. The Amish and Mennonites watching set up a huge cheer and the Swiss groaned. Finally with about 30 seconds left in regulation, the Germans passed it across the middle near the goal, the Turkish goalie tried to make a play on the pass (and overplayed), and a German headbutted the ball in, winning 2-3.
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