Morales wore Brazil’s yellow shirt with Marta’s name and number on the back, turning a familiar symbol of the men’s team into a tribute to the country’s greatest women’s player.
“É importante para mim apoiar o futebol feminino em qualquer jogo a que eu assista.” Morales explained that supporting Marta was central to her decision, reflecting the wider place the Orlando Pride forward occupies in Brazilian football.
The report says Neymar Jr. was absent from the match because of a calf problem, leaving the spotlight on a new generation and on the fans who carried the team’s identity into the stands. Cotten, meanwhile, backed Morocco in a red shirt linked to Achraf Hakimi, having followed the North African side since its memorable run at the previous World Cup.
For Ibraheem Al Marawi and his father, Basam, the trip from Rhode Island carried its own meaning. The younger man reportedly bought the tickets for Basam’s 60th birthday, with their visit also embracing Syrian heritage, Mediterranean food and time together in New Jersey.
“Futebol é o único esporte que ele vai assistir,” Ibraheem said of his father. Their plans stretched beyond one fixture, with thoughts of New York events and a possible trip to Miami to watch Cabo Verde.
Moroccan supporters Maadoune Khalied and Mohamed El Khanoussi also travelled from Casablanca, dreaming of seeing their team return to MetLife. A Brazil-Morocco final, El Khanoussi said, would be his “maior sonho”.
For these supporters, the opener was only the beginning. The next storyline is whether their long journeys become a full tournament pilgrimage, carrying family, culture and football from one city to the next.