Khaberni - An Algerian young man's act of bending down to propose to his fiancée during a football match sparked significant interaction on social media platforms, as it was an unusual scene among Algerians, dividing opinions between supporters and opponents.
During the match that featured JS Kabylie and their guest MC El Bayadh at the Hussein Ait Ahmed stadium in Tizi Ouzou (100 kilometers east of the Algerian capital), two days ago, a young man knelt on his knees before his fiancée, offering her the engagement ring and awaiting her acceptance.
The crowd captured the video from different angles, which was then published and received significant interaction on social media platforms, especially since such scenes are rare in Algeria, which made some people admire it.
"Love instead of stadium violence"
Some commentators on social networks considered it "at a time when the Algerian does not express love and his feelings towards his loved one, this young man was an exception." Another said: "It's beautiful to see a scene of love instead of the scenes of violence we are used to in football stadiums."
Meanwhile, others considered the young man’s act "exaggerated". And some believed that this behavior is "blind imitation, especially since Algerians do not propose in this manner, neither secretly nor publicly."
About the manner of expression chosen by the young man to propose to his fiancée, and the reason for the significant interaction it caused, the social expert Abdelhafidh Sendougui explained, "Algeria, by virtue of its geographical, historical, cultural, and intellectual diversity, has varied opinions, orientations, and positions on events that occur."
He added to Alarabiya.net/Alhadath.net, saying: "Among the most controversial topics are those related to identity, religion, and history. Here, the young man's behavior stems from his desire to express love in a place known to be a space for violence (I am talking here in general about football stadiums and not specifically this stadium), wanting in his way to convey a message that it is possible to express love anywhere, and that love is not an expression that diminishes its owner’s worth, but rather one that evokes pride."
However, he pointed out that "this behavior may clash with the viewpoint of others who do not appreciate imitation, especially those coming from Western countries, based on it being devoid of meaning, for generally, the Algerian is conservative and sometimes does not express his feelings even to himself."
But between the two opinions, the speaker added that "there is moderation in the stance, where one cannot suppress feelings, and considering a man expressing love to his wife or children as a weakness is unwise, and at the same time, it is not sensible to share all feelings in public, whether in football stadiums or via social media."
