Mauricio Codocea
08/03/2021 12:19
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 08/03/2021 12:53
The historic triumph of Argentine volleyball was one step away
.
Years ago it seemed to be.
Argentina rubbed shoulders with the great powers, wet them the ear
circumstantially
, but
did not quite take the big step.
Without going any further, there was little heroic (beyond the merit for the difficulty after losing the first two games) qualifying for the quarterfinals.
In fact, the National Team
had won its group
in Rio 2016 against rivals such as Poland (world champion in 2014 and 2018) and Russia (defending Olympic title).
But there was always the feeling that the last step was missing.
And this time it was achieved: they defeated Italy, one of the
strongest
countries
in the world to play this sport, to reach the semifinals by finally crossing the Rubicon.
Beyond the mental question or the conviction, it is
not enough just with that.
In fact, it was not an attitude that Argentina lacked to compete with the top teams and that was probably what allowed it to eventually steal a set from them or even beat them.
Head and game
One of the big reasons was the lack of an opposite that would make a difference, but a real
difference
.
Something for which it was necessary to go back, perhaps, to the times of Marcos Milinkovic.
Today that man is
Bruno Lima
, a player who had not even played in that position beyond some inferior times but who with Julio Velasco ended up in that position.
Precisely in Rio he had not had a great performance, but in Tokyo he is at a superlative level,
of the first world order.
It is decisive to complement what was already a first small group of international hierarchy such as that made up of
Luciano De Cecco, Facundo Conte
and, perhaps a little step back,
Sebastián Solé
.
Argentina and a joy that has no end.
Reuters photo
Two of those mentioned, Conte and De Cecco, are at their highest level in recent times with the National Team, at a totally opportune moment (the point guard, it must be said, was dragging a very high level since the Nations League).
But above all, they
are at the right point of maturity.
And that is transferred to the team, which feels capable, but not that capable that is "out there we beat him" but the one that means "we can definitely do it."
centrals are in optimal condition
,
Agustín Loser is
no longer a surprise but an absolute reality, libero
Santiago Danani
is playing an
excellent
tournament ... The combination of maturity and what is consolidated as a successful generational replacement are doing their thing with a explosive combo.
And the merit of the coach must also be mentioned, not for making great revolutions but
precisely on the contrary
.
With how difficult that is in Argentina, a country used to the collapse of what happened before with few exceptions.
It is seen from the highest political spheres downwards.
Bruno Lima, outstanding player in this tournament.
AP Photo / Manu Fernandez
And
Marcelo Méndez had the wisdom and humility
not to touch up what was not necessary, to enhance what worked, what gave glimpses of operation (such as the aforementioned step to the opposite of Lima) and to know
that his own label is not so important as the results
.
In the end, he will be one more cog in a machine that will continue, that will exceed him and the members of this team, but before, of course, he will have
an unbeatable opportunity
: to win a medal that volleyball only got in that Seoul 1988, which also crowned what was done in the 1982 World Cup.
And why not dream, then, if it is clear that it is possible.
But why not think, also, that this time instead of the highest point it is just
the starting point
.
France awaits in the semifinals and there will be two chances to fight for a medal.
It will not be easy, but this group has already shown that they are not afraid of anything.
And there are few rivals more dangerous than those who
are willing to write history.
Look also
The path of the volleyball team to the semis: when and against whom does Argentina play
Tokyo 2020: why Luis Scola, the most important player in the history of Argentine basketball, will continue to play