Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: Good morning, New York City, and welcome back to The Morning Pitch. You give us five minutes; we'll give you the World Cup. First of all, I know it does not feel real, but it is. After 53 long years, the wait is over. The Knicks are NBA champions. These finals have brought so many New Yorkers together. On street corners and stoops, in bars and backyards, the celebrations are not over just yet. On Thursday at 10 a.m., we are hosting a ticker-tape parade along Broadway, beginning in Battery Park and ending at City Hall. It will be free and open to the public, so plan to arrive a couple hours early to get a good spot. This will be the Knicks' first ever ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes. You will not want to miss it.
But there's something else to look forward to before then. This afternoon, New York-New Jersey will host our second match of the World Cup when France and Senegal kick off at 3 p.m. The weather should be more pleasant than the humidity and heat of Saturday. Temperatures will be in the 70s, with a high around 80 degrees and a low around 65. At this moment, we are expecting dry and clear conditions. If you are traveling to the game, please take public transit and buy a ticket in advance at the FIFA New York-New Jersey official site. If you are still figuring out your travel plans, consider New Jersey Transit. The best part of riding the train is that it never gets caught in traffic. However you're getting to the stadium, begin your journey at least four or five hours before kickoff. Worst case, you get there a little early and watch William Saliba practice clearances or Sadio Mané take free kicks.
This is the first World Cup match being played at New York-New Jersey Stadium during a weekday, and it will coincide with rush hour. We are expecting especially heavy traffic and travel delays in Midtown. Bus and shuttle corridors and lanes will begin at 9 a.m. and remain in effect until 8 p.m. Fifth and Sixth Avenues from 42nd Street to 59th Street will be dedicated to buses and shuttles; as will 42nd Street from First to 12th Avenue; West 40th Street between Eighth and 11th Avenues; and West 41st Street between Eighth and 10th Avenues. I want to strongly encourage New Yorkers not to drive into Midtown. Take the subway, ride a bike or walk. For those attending the match, there are restrictions as to what you can bring inside the stadium. You will be limited to one disposable plastic water bottle. All bags must meet size restrictions and be transparent. So, no backpacks, large purses or strollers. For those planning to watch the game in the five boroughs, don't forget to take advantage of the $26 meal deal program offered by more than 900 restaurants and bars across our city. If Michael Olise's runs up the wing have you craving fine French dining, check out Chez Oskar in Bed-Stuy. Or if Iliman Ndiaye's mazy dribbles make you hungry for some West African cuisine, visit Native Harlem on 125th Street. The full list of those deals can be found at nyctourism.com. Just scroll down to the Five Boroughs Winner's Special.
As we look ahead to what promises to be an incredible match, I cannot help but think back to 24 years ago, when Senegal and France met at the last time they met in the World Cup. In what was Senegal's first ever appearance at the tournament. Few expected that Senegal had a chance. This was a French side with giants of the game, like Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, and Emmanuel Petit. I wonder what club they played for. But Senegal had something special too. Players like Papa Bouba Diop, who towered at the base of midfield. Strikers like El Hadji Diouf, with his bright blonde mohawk. Forwards like Henri Camara, who played with enough flair to make even the most jaded fan smile. Salif Diao, Khalilou Fadiga, Aliou Cissé, even their legendary coach Bruno Metsu. The list goes on and on. Against all odds, they defeated France in the opening game of the tournament, when Bouba Diop squeezed the ball past Fabien Barthez's outstretched hands.
Ask any Senegalese fan what that goal meant to them. What it meant to see the whole team dancing around Bouba Diop's kit on the ground. What it meant to see Senegal defeat the country that had colonized them for so long. And the answer will not be short. Senegal was not satisfied with beating France. They drew Denmark and Uruguay to make it to the round of 16, where everyone expected they would fall to Henrik Larsson's Sweden. But this team did not know how to give up. Two Henri Camara goals - including one in the 104th minute - extended the fairytale run to the quarterfinals. Although Senegal lost in a heartbreaking extra-time defeat to Turkey, it is hard to overstate just how important this Senegalese team remains for African soccer fans. They played without fear, were proud of themselves, and refused to be cowed by even the most daunting odds. They did not wait to be told that they belonged; they insisted upon it.
I was 10 years old when Senegal beat France, wearing one of the fake kits that my father brought home for me each time he traveled to Dakar for work. That tournament was the first time he let me be late for school. On-time attendance didn't stand a chance against Pan-Africanism. Even though that entire team is long since retired, even though November will mark six years since Papa Bouba Diop passed away, their legacy lives on in the hearts of so many across our city, and millions more across the world. Greatness never fades. Yes, with liberté, égalité, fraternité, and Mbappé, France are once again the heavy favorites today. But never, ever, count out the Lions of Taranga. Senegal Rekk. Enjoy the match, New York City.
