“Vamos” was heard from both of those cheering for Argentina and Spain.
But Spain came out on top, winning the Football World Cup final 1-0.
Inside central Auckland’s Wynyard Pavilion, the whole crowd was singing, stamping.
Hundreds of people, dressed in red, knew their team were just minutes away from being world champions.
Finally, the ball found the back of the net, and the bar erupted. The loud cheering was accompanied by a person banging on a drum.
People hugged and kissed. A couple even threw their dog in the air. A man went outside to video call a family member, tears streaming down his face. The crowd of Spain supporters sang, danced, exalted.
They had watched for long, long minutes as their team had done everything bar beat Argentina.
Spain fans in Auckland CBD.
RNZ / Jeremy Rees
Wearing the Iberian red of the Spanish strip, they had been exuberant, excited, then tense and silent as minutes ticked by.
“This is a team that can do everything except we don’t have a Messi,” said one red shirt at 80 minutes.
That was true. There were still three quarters of an hour of tension and worry to go as the game ticked down to injury time, then extra time.
It was heart stopping stuff. Endless Spanish attacks had the crowd on their feet. Then seconds later that exhalation, “Oooooh” as the shot was wide or blocked.
“España! España!”, they chanted to will their team to victory.
But football is a terrible stark game. All that beauty and passing the ball through the eye of the needle means nothing when the score stands at 0-0.
And then, in minute 106, it came.
And the crowd erupted in relief, in joy, in fury, in pent up energy.
An Argentina fan reacts to Spain’s game-winning goal.
RNZ / Nick Monro
Up on the North Shore, there were also tears – but for a different reason at the Argentina watch party.
About 200 supporters crammed into a warehouse at Pachamama Latino Store in Glenfield to watch the game.
Proudly sporting blue and white and their Argentina kits, they cheered on their team all throughout the nail-biting game.
Fans earlier said they were confident Argentina had what it took to become back-to-back men’s World Cup champions after winning the competition in 2022.
But it was not their day.
Football fans packed out Locker Room in Queenstown.
RNZ / Katie Todd
Many in the crowd burst into tears at the result and embraced each other to cope with the loss of not only the title but Lionel Messi, who has indicated this would be his last World Cup match.
In Queenstown, the Locker Room sports bar erupted into scenes of equal elation and devastation as Spain locked in the win.
More than 280 fans from both sides had arrived as early as 6am, equipped with face paint and flags.
Spanish fans told RNZ they could not be more relieved or happy, while Argentinian fans said they felt their team had given it all.
Beeping and chants of “Yo soy español” could be heard all through the main streets.
‘One of the happiest days of my life’
It was estimated that 1.8 billion people – or more than 20 percent of the world’s population – watched the match, and Paloma Argüelles was one of those in Auckland.
“I don’t have words. I don’t have words, but I’m so happy. One of the happiest days of my life.”
Paloma Argüelles.
RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
Javier Yebenes, from Albacete in Spain, said the bar felt like home.
“It’s a great opportunity for the Spanish community to get together, celebrate.”
Yebenes was also grateful to be able to share a little bit of his culture with New Zealand after living in Auckland for 14 years.
Nacho Fernandez (left) and Javier Yebenes (right).
RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
He told RNZ’s Afternoons that he had since lost his voice.
“I’ve got a little bit of difficulty talking at the moment. It’s been a lot of screaming, and then dancing, and hugging, and cheering.
“We watched it with a group of about 120 Spaniards in Auckland, in the Wynyard Pavilion, and the atmosphere was bustling.”
Spain for the win! We celebrate with a fan
Afternoons
Yebenes said it was nice to be able to spend time with other people from Spain.
“We’re in the Antipodes. We are a very small community and we don’t get together as often. We don’t celebrate things as often. So this really brings people together and seeing people from different parts of the country with many, many different political views and this, all of us cheering for our country. Pretty amazing, you know, pretty amazing feeling.”
Arrate and Alberto, from Bilbao, agreed.
“We are so far from home, and to [have] all the Spanish together is so great, and happy, it’s beautiful, yeah,” Alberto said.
Arrate and Alberto.
RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
Arrate said they had created a WhatsApp group chat to celebrate with other Spanish fans in New Zealand.
“We are so, so happy,” she said.
“During all the match, we were, like, over them, but we need the goal. We needed the goal.
“After they suspended the first one we were so, so depressed, but after that… finally Ferran [Torres] appears, and he makes us winners of the world.”
However, Sophie Cotter never doubted Spain.
“I was always confident they’d win. I had a feeling from the beginning.”
Sophie Cotter.
RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
Nacho Fernandez planned to spend the rest of the day celebrating.
“It’s very special to win the second World Cup, and more special to celebrate it here in New Zealand, in Auckland.
“I just want to say thank you to my boss to give me a day off today, and to my family that is all watching, and all my friends here, my Argentina friends – it was a nice game, 50-50, and at the end, the one who wins is the one who scores.”