Where Chicagoans go to watch soccer

While most Chicagoans are still sleeping off Friday and Saturday night hangovers, a loyal group of soccer enthusiasts gather at bars like North Center’s Globe Pub, 1934 W Irving Park Road, to watch “the beautiful game”. Expats and natives alike pack in – six-hour time difference be damned – to look on as their favorite English Premier League, Major League Soccer and La Liga teams duke it out in age-old rivalries.

Arsenal vs. Stoke

Up bright and early for the 8 a.m. Arsenal vs. Stoke match, financial markets professional Fernando Adler spent some time before kickoff relaying the troubled history between the North London and Straffordshire clubs to a friend.

“They don’t come out to play soccer at all. At all,” Adler explained. “They’re only out there to foul. They are the opposite of Arsenal, the antithesis of Arsenal.”

Originally from Argentina, Adler spent some time working in London, where he became an obsessed Arsenal fan. Though it’d be easier for him to watch at home, he makes the trek to the Globe for the exciting atmosphere.

“This place is awesome,” Adler said. “I think, because it’s kind of a pain to watch these matches, you get more of a hardcore group here, which is nice. Like, people here cry [over games].”

Adler isn’t the only expat who enjoys the Globe.

“Usually when I come in here, more than half of the people are not from the United States. You have English, you have Irish, you have people who have lived in England. A lot of Africans.”

Gary Winters, one of the pub’s owners – and a disgruntled Arsenal fan – also spoke to the Globe’s diverse crowd.

“Liverpool fans usually have the whole back area filled up when they play” Winters said. “And they often lose. And United has a pretty good following. Usually there’s also a whole load of Germans back there.”

Winters spent most of Arsenal’s frustrating match (they lost 3-1) joking around and screaming at the TVs with friends Doug Mraz and Rich Balabuzko.

“Arsenal supporters are by far the best tippers and by far the funniest,” Winters joked.

“And most handsome!” Mraz added.

To quell the disappointing result, the three treated themselves and a few lucky patrons to champagne in celebration of St. Totteringham’s Day, one bright spot in Arsenal’s otherwise painful season.

Manchester United vs. Chelsea

As the bar filled with Chelsea and Man United fans, architect Ani Tipnis and waitress Rose Salvi, both Liverpool fans, prepared to root for Chelsea to beat their team’s biggest rivals.

“It’s not that I want Chelsea to win. I just want United to lose,” noted Tipnis, who’s originally from India.

They shared a table with Roxanne Provence, a public school teacher, and Dili Yang, a grad student, who are both somewhat saddened Arsenal fans who stayed to watch, hoping Arsenal’s London rival Chelsea could thwart United’s chances of winning a record 19 league titles.

Two hours later, however, their prayers were left unanswered after United’s Nemanja Vidic scored the second goal that secured his team’s 2-1 victory over a lackluster Chelsea.

United fans cheered. Chelsea fans headed for the door while Collin Carter, a telecommunications account manager, sat at a now empty table waiting for the La Liga match to begin.

A supporter of both Barcelona and Manchester United, Carter, who was born in Jamaica and has been coming to the Globe since 1999, was clearly happy with the win. “It’s been a good season,” Carter said, with a smile.

Though fans of bitter rivals, Tipnis and Carter, a Scouser – Liverpool backer – and a Red – Manchester backer, – enjoyed some friendly post-match banter, further proof that the Globe isn’t your average football pub.

“It is truly a world bar, in my opinion,” Tipnis said. “You’ll make good friends here.”