📣 IX · The Supporters
When the crowd became the story. The Maracanã's 200,000, the Tartan Army, the Mexican wave's World Cup birth, Iceland's Thunderclap, Senegal and Japan cleaning the stands — football's twelfth man.
Part of World Cup
12 moments in this segment.
- — The Mexican Wave conquers the world. Although it had appeared earlier, it was the 1986 World Cup in Mexico that broadcast the rolling stadium "wave" to a global audience — which is why the world still calls it the Mexican Wave.
- — Senegal's supporters take over. Backing the 2002 debutants who beat France, Senegal's drumming, dancing supporters became one of the joys of the tournament — the sound and colour of an African team reaching the quarter-finals.
- — The Dutch Orange Army. Wherever the Netherlands play, their fans turn stadiums and streets a sea of orange — the "Oranje" support among the most colourful and recognisable in World Cup history.
- — The Maracanã's 200,000. The 1950 deciding match drew a crowd officially recorded near 174,000 and likely closer to 200,000 — still the largest attendance in football history. The silence after Uruguay's winner is as famous as the number.
- — Colombia's yellow wave in 2014. Colombia's return to the World Cup in 2014 brought a joyous, dancing yellow-shirted support that lit up Brazil, mirroring the dancing celebrations of James RodrÃguez's breakout side.
- — Mexico 1986 — the sombrero crowds. The 1986 World Cup in Mexico is remembered for sun-drenched, sombrero-wearing crowds whose colour and noise — and the global spread of the wave — made it one of the most atmospheric tournaments ever staged.
- — Brazil's samba drums and yellow shirts. The sound of samba drums and a sea of yellow shirts has followed Brazil through every World Cup — the carnival support that is as much a part of the tournament's identity as the football itself.
- — Iceland's Viking Thunderclap. Tiny Iceland, the smallest nation ever to qualify, brought the slow-building "Huh!" Thunderclap to the 2018 World Cup — tens of thousands of fans clapping in unison, a chant copied around the football world.
- — Japanese fans clean the stands. Japanese supporters stayed behind to pick up litter from the stands at the 2018 World Cup — and the Japanese team left their dressing room spotless with a thank-you note. The moment went viral as a lesson in sportsmanship.
- — Morocco's fans roar them to the semis. Backed by deafening support from Moroccan and Arab fans across Qatar 2022, the Atlas Lions became the first African and Arab semi-finalists — players celebrating with their mothers on the pitch.
- — Argentina's travelling sea of blue and white. Tens of thousands of Argentine fans turned Qatar 2022 into a home tournament, their chant "Muchachos" becoming the anthem of the World Cup as Messi's side marched to the title.
- — The Tartan Army travels the world. Scotland's travelling supporters, the Tartan Army, became famous for their kilts, songs and good humour at World Cups from Argentina 1978 onward — beloved wherever they went, even as their team kept falling at the group stage.
