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(FIFA.com)
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Their team may have suffered a resounding 5-1 defeat by the hosts in their last match at the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015, but for a 250-strong group of refugees from Myanmar the result was of secondary importance. Being there was what mattered most.
Thanks to the efforts of regional New Zealand sports foundation Sports Tasman, two refugee communities from Nelson and Porirua were given tickets to the game. Their return journey was organised by bus and ferry companies in the area who heard about this wonderful project in local news reports.
With their colourful flags, painted faces and incredibly high spirits, the refugees’ visit greatly enriched the encounter, with Myanmar’s fans creating a fantastic backdrop and atmosphere at Wellington’s Regional Stadium. “Of course, we’ve travelled here with huge support not only from home but also here in the stadium – and that’s a great feeling,” said captain Nanda Kyaw. “We’re delighted that so many fans have come here or written to us to cheer us on.”
The group were making plenty of noise long before kick-off and continued their efforts later inside the stadium, with the tumult understandably reaching its peak when their heroes took an unexpected first-half lead. While it was ultimately the Junior All Whites who managed to make World Cup history for their country by progressing to the last 16, this did nothing to spoil the occasion for the fans from south-east Asia still celebrating the fact that their team were taking part in their first-ever FIFA U-20 World Cup.
This surprising achievement triggered wonderful support and enthusiasm among their fellow countrymen. “It’s crazy to see how many messages we get every day,” Myanmar coach Gerd Zeise told FIFA.com. “There’s been a huge amount of hype around the team online and on social media in particular.”
As the New Zealanders embarked on a lap of honour after the final whistle, the visiting fans embraced the spirit of fair play, clapping the opposition and asking for autographs before bidding farewell to their own side with similarly appreciative applause. Although Myanmar ended their World Cup adventure without a point to their name, the fans who witnessed this final game were incredibly proud of their idols – and for 250 refugees, being present to witness the action was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream.
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