Move over Scots. The Iraqi World Cup fans have arrived.
If any crowd could claim to drown out the sound of bagpipes, this is it.
Iraqi soccer fans took to the streets of Boston on Monday night in anticipation of the country’s World Cup debut in Foxborough against Norway on Tuesday. Fans gathered at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common before moving to Government Center, with hundreds singing on the steps connecting City Hall Plaza to Congress Street.
As late as 11 p.m., supporters could be seen waving scarves and dancing to the beat of darbuka drums; one even lifted a replica World Cup trophy above his head to ecstatic cheers.
It was another reminder, both to Boston residents and visitors from other countries, of the tournament’s vast cultural reach.
While many visiting Scottish fans watched the procession from across the street, more than a few joined the crowd and started dancing with Iraqi supporters in a whirl of black, white, and blue.
Even a trio of Norwegian fans entered the fray, embracing and shaking handswith fans of their opponents.
Revelers waved Iraqi flags, as well as various banners representing the country’s ethnic minorities such as Kurds and Chaldean Christians. On the Common, fans danced the khigga, a traditional Assyrian dance.
The diversity of the country’s squad has become a rallying cry; despite years of instability through wars and sectarian violence, supporters say soccer has been a unifying force.
“This for me is pure resilience and unity, because the Iraqi people unite around the football team,” said Mouin Al-Masoodi, 38.
Al-Masoodi said he arrived in Boston from Oklahoma Monday night with his 11-year-old daughter. For his daughter, who plays youth soccer, Tuesday’s match in Foxborough will be her first time watching a professional game in person.
Iraq, like Scotland and Haiti, is making its first World Cup appearance in decades. The country last qualified for the tournament in Mexico in 1986. For some perspective, at that time, Saddam Hussein was still in power (and a US ally), “Top Gun” had just premiered in theaters, and the United States had not qualified for the World Cup since 1950.
Fans of theIraqi team are hoping for a better result than last time, when the team managed a single goal and a first-round exit. In a group with Norway, Senegal, and perennial favorite France, that’s no easy task.
But with a string of unexpectedly strong performances from underdog teams — including Monday’s stunning draw by debutant Cape Verde against juggernaut Spain — nothing is impossible.
“These are the top football teams in the world, it’s a bit unlucky to be in this group,” Al-Masoodi said. “But I hope we put in a good game.”
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Claire Thornton of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
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