Not all the fans who went to the Metlife Stadium, in New Jersey (USA), on Saturday afternoon (13) were sure that they would be able to witness Brazil’s debut in the World Cup.
Contrary to FIFA’s recommendations, some Brazilians went to the stadium without tickets. This was the case of Denis Vila Boa, 44.
A member of Corinthians’ Camisa 12 fans, he arrived at the stadium around four hours before the start of the match, trying to find someone interested in reselling his ticket.
“I’ll pay whatever is necessary,” he told Sheet. After some insistence, he admitted that he could pay, at most, U$350 (R$1,771).
The amount he was willing to pay is well below the cheapest official price for Brazil’s debut at the World Cup.
For this edition, FIFA adopted a dynamic value model, based on demand. According to the specialized website Ticketdata, the cheapest ticket for Brazil’s debut was going out on Tuesday (9) for US$1,740 (almost R$8,807).
“When the game starts, someone always appears desperate to sell,” says Denis. He also has another strategy to enter the stadium. A little more daring, he admits.
“I’m here with a group of friends. There are 15 of us. We were also at the opening in Mexico [na quinta-feira (11)] and there we entered without tickets. Passing through the turnstile together with other people. It worked in Mexico, it can work here too.”
For those who didn’t have this type of concern, the expectation before the match was to find something around the stadium that recalled the atmosphere of Brazilian stadiums.
A group of four businessmen from Rio Grande do Sul also arrived early at Metlife Stadium and were surprised to find almost no one around around four hours before the game. “Nobody barbecues around here,” complained Alexandre Vila, 50.
“We came with the expectation of seeing something similar to what happens in the NFL, with people having barbecues in the parking lots. But we’re going back to eat at the mall,” said Gilmar Pomier, 54, citing the shopping center connected to the stadium by a walkway.
As the hour progressed, the volume of fans heading towards the stadium began to grow. On the eve of departure, the Sheet he spoke to some Brazilians who intended to go to the game, each in a different way. There were people who chose to hitchhike, others came by train and some opted for chartered buses.
The report contacted these fans again. According to them, the journey to the stadium took an average of one and a half to two hours.
“It took me 1h30 to make the journey that normally takes 15 minutes, but given Brazil’s debut in a World Cup, it was actually quite peaceful,” said Talita Rosa, a resident of Union City, a region very close to the MetLife Stadium.
