Real Madrid and Portugal national team midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo, left, drives past Alvaro Morata during practice July 30 at the North Athletic Field.
Fresh off the excitement and craze of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the popularity of soccer in Southern California was still flying high on Saturday.
That would be due to the frenzy-inducing, week-and-a-half presence of soccer powerhouse Real Madrid on the UCLA campus as part of its preseason tour.
As the team’s most widely recognized player, Cristiano Ronaldo almost single-handedly turned the usually serene campus into a soccer-crazed hotspot. Screaming women pushed and shoved their way through the crowds, just to catch a glimpse of the popular Portugese midfielder, whose fame has transcended the soccer world into pop culture.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people crowded Wilson Plaza each day, hoping to score an autograph or a picture with their favorite players. Adult soccer fanatics instantly reverted back to their youth, deliriously shouting and chasing after the golf carts transporting the players and coaches from the training field to the locker rooms at the Student Activities Center.
The majority of the crowd was made up of non-UCLA students, as die-hard Real Madrid fans made the journey to Westwood for the unique opportunity to see one of soccer’s premier clubs up close and personal.
The back entrance to the building was equally packed with fans, who strategically claimed any inch of space they could find behind the barricades as their own in order to get a better chance of snagging an autograph from players as they exited through the double doors.
Jordan Headley, a third-year student from the University of San Diego, was living in Marina Del Rey this summer when she heard news of Real Madrid’s arrival.
“I spent collectively around six hours on the first day, just hanging out on campus, to get a few decent pictures of Ronaldo and hopefully a signature,” Headley said. “I’m not a big soccer fan, but I’m a huge Cristiano Ronaldo fan.”
For Headley, the many hours spent standing and waiting to see the world’s highest-paid soccer player were not in vain.
“It met my expectations and then some,” she said. “I definitely was not expecting to be that close to the players, and to have Ronaldo smile and wave at me was an unbelievable experience.”
The fact that Real Madrid’s arrival in Los Angeles coincided with finals week for summer school didn’t deter third-year physiological science student Tamara Casas from going to see her favorite team.
“I sacrificed three hours of studying for my last final to camp outside the Student Activities Center, but it was totally worth it because we got to see a lot of the players,” she said. “There were so many people there, and I was happy that they all shared the same love that I have for my team.”
With so many people camped out for hours just to get a chance to interact with their soccer idols, the players who stuck around to sign autographs before heading to the locker room gained the most respect from the fans.
“I was surprised to see the patience and class that some of these players have,” Casas said. “Kaka, Pepe, Marcelo, Juanfran (Juan Francisco Moreno) and many others took time out of their day to sign autographs and take pictures, sometimes for more than 30 minutes. They definitely earned my respect.”
Some fans of the Spanish squad were willing to sacrifice more than just time for a better inside look at the elite team.
On Tuesday, the L.A. Galaxy Foundation offered a one-time chance for fans to sit in on Real Madrid’s usually secretive practices.
The catch? There was a $50 entrance fee, with the money going to the foundation’s charity.
Fourth-year physiological science student Ana Florea was hesitant about the deal at first, but quickly gave in and took full advantage of the opportunity.
“I thought, when else am I going to get this chance to see them practice so close?” she said. “I also managed to yell loud enough to make Ronaldo and (Iker) Casillas wave back and then sign my vuvuzela. … After they did that, I went nuts.”
For Florea, the experience was well worth the price, seeing as how she had been able to watch some of the World Cup’s biggest stars practice at the very same field she passes by on a daily basis.
“I was really excited to see the players and felt so lucky that I got to see them practice firsthand,” she said. “After I got the autographs, I started shaking uncontrollably so I guess I was star-struck. I mean, these guys were just playing in the World Cup.”
The star-studded club recently finished its California tour with a 3-2 win over the Galaxy on Saturday. Held at the Rose Bowl, the highly-anticipated match tallied 89,134 in attendance, a near sell-out game.
The Galaxy stunned the crowd during the first half, taking a 2-0 lead into the locker room. In the second half, Real Madrid regained control of the game with two goals from Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain and the eventual game-winner from Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso.
The atmosphere at the Rose Bowl remained electric throughout the entire game, as thousands of light bulbs flashed in unison and shrieks of joy roared around the stadium every time Ronaldo touched the ball.
Casas attended the match and made sure that practice wasn’t the last time she got to see the team she adores.
“I was really excited about going to the game,” Casas said. “I was willing to pay any price to see my favorite team play live.”
The assistant director of UCLA Recreation, Steve Najera, had the opportunity to work with Real Madrid while it used the campus facilities, and the fact that he was a soccer supporter made the experience that much sweeter.
“It’s been a great experience because I am a huge soccer fan and I got to interact with the players, their training staff and the coaches,” Najera said. “I mean, it’s hard work and it’s tiring putting in a lot of hours, but it’s definitely been an enjoyable experience.”
Real Madrid’s stay in Los Angeles not only helped spike local interest in soccer ““ something that many felt would quickly disappear after the World Cup ““ but it may have increased the recognition of UCLA as well.
“UCLA is already one of the most popular universities in the nation, but events like this just help to showcase how many things can be experienced at this campus,” Casas said. “The fact that prospective students on tours got to see the type of events that we are able to be a part of just makes them more inclined to choose UCLA over other universities.”