IN PICTURES: Super Cup clash was time to shine for ‘our great country’

It is the hope of business and tourism bosses that this warm glow of hospitality will linger over the city long after the final scoreline of the nerve-shredding game has been talked to death (a wafer-thin victory for Chelsea in a sudden death penalty contest).

Hordes of full-throated football fans could be found outside bars across Belfast from mid-afternoon, baying and praying for their team to triumph.

Carson Marcello Valdez had been in Belfast for two days; he was among hundreds of Villareal fans spending the afternoon at Seaview Stadium in north Belfast, which had been turned into a pre-match hub for the Spanish visitors.

His verdict on Belfast? “Diverse – and amazing.”

Then in the evening, a river of blue-clad Chelsea supporters snaked their way through the loyalist Village district of the city to Windsor Park – accompanied by a flute band.

The UEFA Super Cup final is the most significant club football event Northern Ireland has yet hosted.

It pitted the winners of Europe’s top two competitions together – west London’s Chelsea (winners of the Champions’ League), and Villarreal (winners of the Europa League), from a relatively obscure town in eastern Spain.

Blues fan Ahmed Ali had travelled from London, and dubbed Belfast “the best place I’ve ever been to in my life”.

“I came here and everyone’s very kind, very respectful and very welcoming,” he said.

“The atmosphere is absolutely amazing. Over here, I’m treated like a king. It’s mind-blowing. I’m confused. I’m from London, I don’t see this very often.”

“We wish we’d come for a bit longer actually,” another Chelsea supporter told the BBC, flanked by his family.

“We went over to the Titanic Quarter, now we’ve come back into the centre – and I think we should’ve come for an extra few days.”

And another Englishman declared himself “absolutely ecstatic to be here”, telling the BBC: “Belfast! Beautiful city, beautiful people. Buzzing – just glad to be here and be part of it.”

Belfast had been selected by UEFA as the host city two years ago, beating a trio of other contenders – Minsk (in Belarus), Helsinki (Finland) and Kharkiv (Ukraine).

Among those welcoming it as the city’s time to shine was First Minister Paul Givan.

He dubbed the game “a fantastic showpiece of what our great country has to offer... all credit to the IFA in securing this world-class event – and to the people of Belfast for making our visitors welcome”.

Former economy minister Simon Hamilton (who now head’s Belfast’s Chamber of Commerce) said: “Windsor Park is looking brilliant ... Good to see so many fans back in the stadium – including hundreds from Spain”.

And Peter Gilpin, the IFA’s project leader for the whole Super Cup event, said before the game that Northern Ireland hosting such a global crowd-puller gave him “a very special feeling”.

One Chelsea fan who was unable to bag any tickets was former long-time News Letter news editor Rod McMurray.

Nonetheless, he said: “It’s absolutely brilliant these top professional footballers are in Northern Ireland.

“Giving people the chance to go and see them in the flesh must be amazing for those people who were lucky enough to be inside.

“Full credit to the IFA and everybody behind the scenes who made this happen.

“It’s putting Belfast on the map – the eyes of the footballing world are on Belfast.

“Thankfully the situation has moved on with Covid and vaccines to enable so many people inside a stadium to enjoy it – it’s a sign we’re going in the right direction.”

He was not alone; social media was alive with rueful fans who wished they could have been present.

One Tom Dabinett (@tomdabs) summed it up: “Wish I was in Belfast. Great city. Great people.”

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