Tifo are generally clear, emphatic expressions of a supporters' group's passionate love for their club and its players. But occasionally the hand-crafted banners dig a bit deeper to pay special tribute with messages that aren't quite as easily understood to the casual observer.
During Friday night's hard-fought 2-2 draw between Portland and Houston, a banner with the word “TROESMA” next to an image of Argentine playmaker Diego Valeri hung below the Timbers Army's usual home at the North End of Providence Park.
It's not a word you'll find in either the English or Spanish dictionaries, but it's a powerful one just the same, and it left Valeri at a loss for words when asked about it postgame.
“I want to say thanks about the banner, because it made me feel that words are hard to say now,” he said of the tifo. “I'm very surprised about that and I will keep this in my heart for the rest of my career.
“I will give my best on the field because I want to win a trophy for these people.”
To understand what it meant, you'll have to know something about the quirky dialect of Valeri's old stomping grounds in Buenos Aires – with a bit of tango history, Pig Latin and even Elvis Presley mixed in.
Confused? Don't worry: Timbers.com has the full scoop.
