TORONTO — A red noisemaker shaped like a maple leaf has become all the rage in Toronto during the World Cup.
The “Canadian clapper” has been handed for free out at BMO Field and the city’s fan festival ahead of Canada’s group-stage matches. The handheld items, measuring 4 by 7 inches (10 by 18 centimetres), can’t be bought in stores, making them a must-have for fans of Les Rouges.
“These are amazing. So, let’s go Canada,” Toronto resident Ryan Fonte said after being handed one by a fan festival volunteer ahead of Wednesday’s match against Switzerland.
The three-piece, fan-like clappers are made from recycled material, said Sharon Bollenbach, Toronto’s World Cup executive director.
FIFA presented them to fans who attended Canada’s first World Cup match, on June 12 in Toronto, then donated thousands to the FIFA Fan Festival. Volunteers there handed them out to attendees ahead of watch parties held for the second and third group-stage matches.
Cedric Osagie looked down into his hand after a volunteer placed the red noisemaker there. The Ottawa resident wasn’t sure what to call it.
“I have absolutely no idea what the name of it is called,” Osagie said. “I’ll imagine it’s called a `clapper.”'
But he knew what to do with it.
“When Canada does something cool, I will do this,” Osagie said, clapping together the pieces. “When we score, I will shake it.”
Bollenbach said the little clappers have “had a big impact” and “created a real buzz and an interest and lots of noise around the city of Toronto.”
Plus, she said, they’re a symbol of the national pride that has swelled thanks to Canada’s co-host role and on-pitch success, with the team advancing to the tournament’s knockout stage for the first time.
Not to mention, Canada Day is right around the corner, on July 1.
“I think that’s what the World Cup is all about,” Bollenbach said, “that we can celebrate our cultures, we can celebrate our heritage and be truly Canadian proud that we are hosting the world.”
Mike Householder, The Associated Press
