What is the Ultras mentality? What is the difference between a regular fan and an Ultras fan?

There is a great confusion between cultures, especially the Ultras culture. They are usually seen as different from regular fans of football, so where did this radical view of them come from? 

Some see them as a group of teenagers and young people who gather in a unified place called the stands or the virage and sing chants throughout the match. Some see them as mentally ill people who do not cheer like regular fans, but rather remain standing for the entire 90 minutes and never stop. There are even those who see them as very stereotypical in a way that does not reflect their true vision, but rather how the public sees some of the behaviors that are told about them.

What is the Ultras mentality and what are its most important principles?

Ultras is a Latin word meaning extreme or something superior. It is a fanatical support movement or group founded with the goal of supporting a team, and is built on the love of the team and supporting it under the umbrella of this group. They have a special name and a special logo in the colors of their team and they have their own banner or bash. Each group has two banners, one for the team’s matches inside its stadium and another secondary for traveling. Is considered an honor for the group. If the banner is stolen from another group within the framework of the ultras game, the group’s existence ends or is dissolved permanently and its members become just ordinary fans. Each ultras has its own mentality. There is the curve or curva, which is the cheering area in which the banner is hung and is always behind the goal. There are two curvas, a south curva and a north curva. Each curve has its own capo. The capo is the leader of the virage and he is the one who joins the atmosphere and leads the musical band consisting of drummers. One of the most important principles of the Ultras is to cheer in adversity before prosperity and not to stop cheering for the entire 90 minutes regardless of the result. Another principle is to travel with the team wherever it goes, which is considered one of the basic duties as an Ultra member. It is not limited to this only, but they have authority over the team such that they influence the team's administrative decisions in the event of the team's deterioration. The club's interest is often above all considerations for them, and they do not allow anyone to harm their club. This jealousy and devoted love for their team is evident in their loyalty and unconditional belonging throughout the match and the pressure on opponents. What distinguishes them is that they are fanatical about their team and that they are against authority and do not like anyone to interfere in their way of working.

What is their way of working?

They are usually in the form of artworks such as tifos and in the form of written or audio messages and they have self-funding that comes from selling products and membership income helps them support these works and there is the cortege which is an organized march that includes the group members behind their own banner and one of their traditions is that they celebrate with fireworks and firecrackers or what is known as the pyrochow and each ultra has its own songs that sing the glories and achievements of their team.

Where did this culture come from?

Frankly, it started in the forties of the last century in South America and was called the hinchada or barrabrava then moved to Europe which was the home of football and this movement began to appear in Italy in particular as they are known for the development of their culture as they were creative in cheering. The first to start it in the Arab world was Tunisia and then Morocco.

Why is it said that they cause riots and chaos?

We often hear about stadium riots and it comes to our minds that the Ultras are often behind such unfortunate events that negatively affect their development and give us a negative image of them. If we want to shed light on this phenomenon, we must see the reasons and factors that affect such circumstances. Every now and then there are outbursts outside the sports framework and often a number of minors are victims, which leads to material and human losses.