Football small talk as a social ice-breaker for male travellers

In a busy market in Cairo, Harry moves with the crowd down one of the paths. It’s loud and colourful and reminds me of the medina I once visited in Marrakesh.

One of the food carts catches his attention. He turns his camera to a large pan of oil – full of small golden dough-balls being fried by a man who’s turning them patiently. Harry asks for a portion.

“What’s your name?” he asks the man behind the counter, then turns to the other. They exchange names.

“Where are you from?” says the street food vendor.

“I’m from Great Britain!… …England!” he follows, as they begin to look confused.

“Ah! England! Do you support football?” asks the other man. “Who’s your team?”

“Aston Villa,” says Harry. “Who’s yours?”

“Zamalek,” says the man. “Egyptian team.”

This exchange happens in many interactions while Harry is in Cairo. He’s making a travel vlog about Cairo, in response to negative rumours spreading about Egypt online.

During his video I noticed how easy it is for Harry to interact with people, and for them to make a connection with him through football. As someone who doesn’t really understand football or football culture, it looks to me from the outside – almost like a kind of weather talk.

In Watching the English, the author explains how talking about the weather is a type of small talk that establishes both parties are friendly, and might lead to other conversations. A small social opening to further conversation, and maybe even friendship or some kind of relationship.

Football has always been a great connector for men, and as Harry shows, an ice-breaker, wherever they are in the world. It makes me wonder how women, queer travellers, or those travellers who don’t follow football might find a low-key opening to connecting with men and women from other cultures. Is there something similar, or as universal as football that people gravitate towards? Even music is very specific to certain locations and social groups. I can’t think of anything – can you?