Sometimes football provokes actions in its fans that, under other circumstances, they would not think about. They remember, for example, the Athletic fans who in the 1950s sold their mattresses to attend the final match of the team they carried in their hearts. Well, Raul Gonzalez, 40 years old, lives in Vancouver and is thinking of getting in the car next April 6, the date of the duel in La Cartuja, driving ten hours and stopping at the Red and White Club in Boise, USA, to watch the match surrounded by… With athletics. It sounds a bit like Pilipenada, he knows that, but…
“Here in Canada, I haven't met anyone from Athletic. That's why the idea arose to travel there to be able to experience the game in a different way, with people from Athletic. That's why I contacted the president of the Boys Club (Henar), to see if there was a possibility of having fun.” “It might be a lot for a weekend… but I think the occasion might be worth it!” said the man from Biscay, who lives in Canada with his partner Sandra.
In May 2022, almost two years ago, they decided to change their lives. They moved on a work visa to Vancouver, a city located in western Canada with a population of about 700,000 people and 8,200 kilometers from Bilbao. “We left our jobs to live the Canadian experience and are currently working in the maritime sector,” says Gonzalez.
He admits that football does not appear at the top of the population's preference list. In the league, for example, they follow Barcelona and Real Madrid. However, he proudly defends his status as an Ernesto Valverde fan. “As soon as I have the opportunity, I talk to my co-workers about athletics, its philosophy, what it means to win a title, and about the ceremony that will be held in Bilbao. “They are amazed!”, describes this fan who lived the “exciting” match against Las Palmas on the field at Christmas, the match in which Unai Gomez brought down the resistance of the island with a goal at the buzzer.
He was particularly mourning Gonzalez, and not just because he was the last person to live in the cathedral. “I was with my brother and nephew. I have a fond memory because it was the first time I was with my nephew at a sports match. “We enjoyed it a lot,” says this fan, who follows the matches “only at home.” “It's seven or eight in the morning. So I have no possibility to go to the bar or meet anyone. Although new technologies allow you to have a company. “I am in constant contact with my brother and father. Even via video call to comment on the match live.
Incidentally, his “indoctrination” work in red and white is paying off. “Our football-loving friends here copied the Iñaki Williams logo, in a simple way, and every time he wins they WhatsApp me with this.” I hope April 6th is like this, maybe ten hours from home and in another country.
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