Expats bring their own flavour to football’s pinnacle

Ready for the Fifa World Cup 2022 final are France football supporters (from left) Victor (12),...
Ready for the Fifa World Cup 2022 final are France football supporters (from left) Victor (12), Lucile (6), Pierre and Felix (8) Rivollet, of Dunedin. Photo: Peter McIntosh
It is Messi v Mbappe. It is dulce de leche v croissant.

It is Argentina v France in the Fifa World Cup final, and across Otago expatriates of both countries are bringing their own flavour of support.

Argentinian Francisco Pintado, of Queenstown, said he would have at least 14 people over to watch the big match at 4am on Monday.

The guest list would probably be higher by Sunday, but it was a case of the more the merrier, he said.

He moved to New Zealand in 2018 but had kept up with Argentinian football.

Although it was not commonly served before breakfast, they would be enjoying dulce de leche, an Argentinian type of caramel.

They would also be drinking mate, a form of green tea made from dried yerba mate leaves.

Both teams were very evenly balanced and it would be a tough match, he said.

Argentina supporters (top, from left) Rodrigo Lescano, Ornella Proni, Benjamin Morte, Mariano...
Argentina supporters (top, from left) Rodrigo Lescano, Ornella Proni, Benjamin Morte, Mariano Amoroso, Facundo Bordo, Adriel Macias, Magdalena Urrea, (bottom) Francisco Pintado and Alexis Gonzalez in Queenstown. Photo: Supplied
The last big match Argentina played in was the Copa America 2021 cup, where they were crowned the victors.

Pablo Dennison, who was born in Argentina but adopted to New Zealand parents, said the match would be "the pinnacle" of a great tournament.

Not only was it a chance to win the trophy, but it would be the final world cup match for "the great man himself," Lionel Messi.

The match would not prove which team was the greatest, but instead who performed best on the day and had luck on their side.

"The best teams turn up, but the best teams don’t win."

There was not a lot separating the opposing sides in skill and he was nervous to see the result.

"I think we’re going to do it, but I wouldn’t put my mortgage on it."

French expatriate Pierre Rivollet said he would be waking up early to watch live, as he "couldn’t bear to accidentally find out the score" before watching later.

He was an active football player and played for Dunedin side Roslyn.

It was looking to be a positive match for France.

He would be enjoying pain au chocolat, a type of chocolate-filled croissant.

wyatt.ryder@odt.co.nz