JAPAN v Brazil

I couldn’t believe I was paying to get into a Wetherspoons pub. But if I was going to watch Japan with their fans I had no choice.

I’d had real trouble finding out where Japan fans were going to be watching the footie. London’s packed with lovely Japanese restaurants, but they all seemed a bit smart and minimalist for my needs. I’d pounded the streets of London’s most Japanese areas but found them not particularly Japanese.

So when I heard there was an event being organised in the West End pub that used to be the legendary rock venue The Marquee, I got my name on the list.

And it’s just as well I did, because it sold out and security was tighter than Fort Knox on national gold-stealing day. I had a booking reference and an entrance group. I was checked out by the bouncer then faced three more entry people: one to check my name was on the list, one to exchange my money for a ticket, and another to stamp my hand. I was in! And they had Kirin on tap! And little plastic tubs of Japanese food, although unlike at the Korea game I don’t think it was free.

And also unlike the Korea game, the fans weren’t all in team colours, although the vast majority of them had made a sterling effort, one bloke even dressing up in a full ninja outfit, mask and all. He wouldn’t get into Bluewater shopping centre, I thought.

There was a bloke beating a huge drum, accompanied by enthusiastic chanting, plenty of replica tops and flags, a girl with a Winnie the Pooh, and people waving sticks with blue and white tinselly crepe-paper stuff, which looked a bit like malnourished Muppets.

London’s über-trendy Japanese contingent was represented, as were Japanese blokes in suits. And there were lots of English people, including one in a Celtic shirt, with, of course, Japanese Celtic midfielder Nakamura on the back. He told me he’d supported Japan in their first game on his own in Muswell Hill. As far as I could tell, his only link to Japan was Nakamura.

Even though they had almost no chance of qualifying for the second round and Brazil were playing far better than they had in their last two games, the fans were hugely enthusiastic, screaming loudly whenever Brazil attacked (which was often). And when Japan somehow snatched the lead, the biggest cheer of the tournament so far rang out. They couldn’t believe it, and the be-suited bloke in front of me got down on his knees in supplication.

When Scotland took the lead against Brazil in Spain in 1982, one of the players later confessed that his first reaction was “Oh no, now we’ve upset them.” And so it proved, as they hammered us 4-1. Ever the optimist, I worried if a similar fate would befall Japan.

And sure enough, there were shrieks and rueful smiles when Ronaldo equalised. The Japan fans took the four goals that flew in for Brazil with good grace, and a certain amount of resignation.

There were even a couple of fans in the corner cheering Brazil’s goals, including a Thai bloke who had assured me he was supporting Japan (although not as much as Korea). He was also force-feeding me Kirin, but I wasn’t complaining.

And neither were the Japan fans. They’d been beaten 4-1 and they were out of the tournament, but they’d had a right nice time.