Argentinians are rabid soccer fans. Unlike the U.S. where most cities have just one home team, Buenos Aires has nine professional soccer teams in the top league. In the U.S. most families root for the same team, their city’s home team, but in Buenos Aires, since there are many teams in one city, the loyalties are often spread. I spoke to many Argentinians and it seemed to me that at a young age, ten or eleven, a boy or girl chose a team, based on liking something about that team, often a particular player.

I’ve seen many enthusiastic fans cheer loudly and paint their faces in team colors, but I’ve never seen anything like the fan frenzy in Buenos Aires. We went to see San Lorenzo play Crucero del Norte. The San Lorenzo supporters waved flags, raised banners, and launched red and blue balloons into the sky. Shirts were ripped off showing full body paint. Fans set off fire crackers that make everyone jump.

Strong throwing arms hurled red and blue toilet paper rolls from the top rows of the stands.

To prevent violence, none of the opposing team, Crucero del Norte, were permitted inside the stadium. It was strange to have every one in the stadium rooting for the same team.

A full band played during the whole game. The fans waved their arms and shook their bodies as they sang: “San Lorenzo, what I feel I can’t explain / I’ll be with you always / Because the blue and red runs in my soul.”

The band conductor was dressed like the Pope, which made sense because Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, is a lifelong San Lorenzo fan.

It was a great fun seeing another country’s enthusiastic fans. I left the stadium thinking we Americans don’t do enough to support our favorite teams.