Jean-Pierre Asuncion

wit!

@TheBrightonBard what a day, what a match! sleep well

I WENT TO THE GAME ALONE. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚽️ Here’s my experience: Because of my job, I’m lucky enough to be used to travelling by myself, so buying a single ticket and flying down to Miami didn’t feel that daunting. But I was still cautious. The 02:45 alarm call on Saturday wasn’t much fun and then I managed to miss the exit off the highway to the airport as I was singing ‘It’s Coming Home’ at the top of my voice in the car and had to rush to get through security to the gate! ☺️ I was surprised to have found a direct flight to Miami from Tulsa that got me in at 09:00, so it was an Uber to the Hyatt Place hotel at the airport who kindly let me have breakfast and get in a room at 11:00 to shower and get ready. Flawless. That’s the word I’d use for the organisation of transportation and logistics in Miami. Just flawless. A $15 Uber ride took me to the Martin Luther King train station (one of 4 pick-up points) where lines and lines of yellow school buses stood, each taking 50 or so ticketed fans the 11 miles to the game. Of course England and Norway shirts dominated, but it really felt like a carnival of football with tops from various countries and clubs to be seen here and there. And, man, was it hot!! As we jumped off the bus, in front of us hydration stations had been set up. Complete with electrolyte powder to mix with the iced water from huge tanks. And did I sweat a lot in the next 8 hours! So having downed a few litres of water it was a half mile walk to the stadium. Police everywhere, roads closed, huge energy, fantastic atmosphere. (Lots of locals stood at the end of the driveway with huge signs trying to sell their drive as a parking space for the night. What entrepreneurs!) I didn’t touch alcohol due to the heat - but the bars and food outlets were packed outside the stadium as a carnival atmosphere prevailed. Before heading to my seat I was able to meet a few Albion fans (Sam Harte, Ian Harte, Nick Blanco, Derek Chapman et al) which was brilliant. There we all were, 3500 miles from the AMEX! 💙🤍 I’d only bought a seat on Thursday and had a huge stoke of luck when I found it was bang in the middle of the England end. And what a fantastic group. Everyone introducing themselves to each other and sharing stories of the footballing summer so far. Passionate. Knowledgable. And just salt of the earth characters. As for the game? Well, the chanting was incessant, orchestrated by the England drummer and trumpeter how stood just a few rows behind me. We were together. We were united. And, call me old-fashioned, but it felt very healthy; it felt special. And I felt so lucky to be part of it. The game happened, you’ve seen it, no need for me to linger on that. But at the end there was a lad who was just in tears of joy. Must’ve been in his early 20s and it was clear how much England meant to him. He just couldn’t stop! It was pretty moving to witness. I manage to grab a couple of England jerseys on the way out (only XXXL left, but that’s what Mrs Bard asked for anyway as seems the fashion) and then it was a walk back to the buses in the oppressive heat and under the blinding floodlights of the walkways as random England chants erupted from various pockets of the 1000s of us walking from the stadium. The atmosphere was electric. It was a 90 min wait for a bus but the stewards did a great job and I was back in my hotel to watch the last few minutes of Argentina beating the Swiss in extra time. You know, I’m not a fan of FIFA, and despite football playing a huge part in my life, I was a little cynical about the World Cup in the build up. But as I left the stadium last night, the world felt a better place. It’s been an amazing tournament, but not because of the FIFA suits, but because of the fans. It occurred to me that, just for a while, because of football, division and politics has been replaced with humanity and wholesomeness. And that’s just what the world needs right now. ⚽️❤️

@fiago7 been a while since they brought it home, but I will cheer for whichever team opens up play and puts on a show

Who are you hoping wins the World Cup now? 🇫🇷🇪🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇦🇷

@TheBrightonBard appreciate the honesty

💰BREAKING DOWN THE COST OF MY TRIP TO WATCH NORWAY V ENGLAND IN MIAMI TOMORROW. 💰⚽️ Ticket? 🎟️ Flight? ✈️ Accommodation? 🏨 🇳🇴🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

@PicturesFoIder I am on board with him

A Norway fan has gone viral for refusing to join his country's Viking Row celebration and says he still won't do it even if they win the World Cup "It's factually wrong. They didn't row. They sailed over the Atlantic"

@adamrank few Brighton survived, most headed to Galveston

This is how I view the World Cup

@EmilioSansolini awesome graphics

The last 8.

@InternetH0F Keldon Johnson trending at the same time

Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland says he wants to own a farm after he retires "Being on a farm... driving a tractor, feeding my cows, that's the dream."

fox 5 DC sportscasters just said the same Belgium eliminated the USMNT four years ago. Um what?

@RGIII get the legal team to reverse this loss

We lost because (Belgium is a better team) we weren’t a united front as fans. We are supposed to be the United States of America not the divided states of America.

@TheBrightonBard thanks for taking us along

ADIOS, MEXICO CITY 😢❤️🇲🇽⚽️ To my new followers and those of you who I have been lucky enough to meet… What can I say? I leave in the morning. 😳 But look at me. I am shattered! You have worn me out.☺️ I arrived alone on Saturday, but leave feeling connected to all of you. Tens of thousands of you! The friendship, camaraderie, positivity, kindness and passion for football will forever connect us. Thank you for welcoming me to your city and country. I am now a walking ambassador for Mexico and Mexicans - you watch my feed!! Thank you being so magnanimous in defeat. I am in awe of the hundreds of messages of support for England I received after last night’s epic game. And finally, thank you for not changing. It’s been 12 years since I was last in Mexico City and sometimes people within cities change. But you haven’t. Smiles on the streets when seeing I was English, wanting to help if I looked lost and a feeling of optimism and unity that’s rare. Please don’t change. You are amazing. And my Mexico shirt will be a reminder of this epic 60 hour trip! Thanks for having me…I can’t wait to be back…❤️🇲🇽 Cheers, Jon x

This guy spent 14 hours waiting for a squirrel to set off this Rube Goldberg Machine

@Jimmyking35 🧙‍♂️

As an American and USMNT fan it doesn’t feel right to cheer for either Mexico or England tonight so instead I’m hoping for the most chaotic 120 minutes+pens game you could ever imagine. Give me rain delays, give me bad defense and boat loads of goals, give me red cards, give me scraps. I want it all, just make it as entertaining as humanly possible

New York City by a million. You'll never narrow this lead.

@FrenchExpat1 @USMNT @Mariners @MLB worked for Norway

@USMNT @Mariners @MLB They’re out there doing some PR and having fun while all other teams are focused on their training.

Doesn’t get much more American than this. 🤳🇺🇸

Big win for birthright citizenship

late night, the worst part about driving back from the weather postponed Philly Unity fireworks was seeing the new government-sanctioned tag on the Fugazi/Surrender Dorothy beltway bridge

@FWC26Philly but closed the toilets right as Can-Mar ended at FanFest. cruel

Packed this house six times 👏 Philly, you’ve been an incredible host!

@Freedom250 why the dystopian name, though?

The 2026 Patriot Games are now accepting applications from outstanding students ages 14–17 from across the country. This is their chance to compete on a national stage, represent their home state or territory, and be part of our Nation's 250th celebration. Apply TODAY

@WUTangKids this happened to us in Philly, though. his curse is far reaching

🤣🍻….Happy 4th losers

@LUFC1992_v2 it was cute to hear the Germans call it "Philadelphia Stadium" at fanfest yesterday

Pleased to report we didn’t succumb to the heat at the Linc (but it was brutal) 🥵 It’s been a full on day, having spent the morning visiting the historic district for 4th July 🇺🇸