The ?Euro 2004 football cup fever? has been keeping the majority of Mauritians in suspense. Although matches are broadcast until late in the evening, those who miss them are extremely rare. Some arrange special football evenings with friends but most of them prefer to stay quietly at home to follow the match in peace.

A little pub crawl during the week is enough to show that locals prefer their cosy sofa to the cold wind of the end of June. Yet, some pubs or discothèques have done everything to attract football fans into a great ?soccer? atmosphere. La Playa and the Future invested in it but the evenings were far from exciting since very few fans turned up.

The only pub that succeeded in gathering the crowds was undoubtedly the Keg & Marlin. It must have had something to do with the fact that Mauritians are generally ardent supporters of the English team. For once, it seems that Liverpool and Manchester fans are on the same wavelength. But this may be also due to the fact that most English people love football and they would miss no occasion to party with their team and? they must be used to the English winter?

In any case, most Mauritians have arrived at work with bags under their eyes over the past week. And it will not get any better. As the tournament goes on, the less people will resist the fever.

The infection has already started: men are not the only ones to watch the matches anymore. Women have indeed come into play. The reasons may, of course, be different for many of them. They will choose matches bringing Beckam and Zidane together. One must have no illusions: many women watch football matches to see Thierry Henry?s legs or David Beckham's new haircut rather than Oliver Kahn?s halts. An unexpected passion for the French team is one of the surprises of this Euro Cup: more and more people now seem to recognise their talent.

Actually, it does not matter whether you support a team or not. It seems that Euro 2004 attracts because it is a show, an entertainment but it is also a way of meeting family or friends?