There were nerves and concern at the entrance to the main hall of the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL).
The guests at the opening ceremony were squeezing to take their seats this Saturday morning, chewing between their teeth: "Let's hope it starts on time and doesn't run late."
The wish came true and at 11:00 o'clock the presentation of the 17 speakers from the kilometric table of authorities began.
After politicians, academics and businessmen it was the turn of the star of the day, Mircea Cărtărescu.
The Romanian author, FIL Prize for Literature in Romance Languages, began his speech at 11:56.
There wasn't much time.
In barely an hour it was Leo Messi's turn.
The World Cup match between Argentina and Mexico was the elephant in the assembly hall.
Aware of who was their toughest rival in this edition, the event organizers placed two giant screens at the gates of the fair.
A few minutes before the start of the game, two lonely professors of art history waited under the screens for another pair of academics.
“We have a book launch on National Arithmetic Heritage right now.
No one is going to come, but we have to do it ”, resigned one of them.
FIL attendees observe the Mexico vs Argentina match in the halls of the Guadalajara International Book Fair on November 26, 2022. Roberto Antillon
FIL assistants observe the match Mexico vs Argentina.Roberto Antillon
The FIL shares more with the World Cup than the coincidence in time.
It is the first time that the country invited to the epicenter of the world of books in Spanish is a hereditary and oil monarchy, Sharjah.
Just like Qatar is the organizer this year of the football universe.
In the same way that Messi has been the new "global ambassador" of Saudi Arabia for a couple of months in exchange for between 15 and 25 million dollars per year.
Through the corridors of the fair, the delegation of the invited emirate also showed interest in the match.
“In our country we are very soccer fans.
We have a lot of events today because it's the first day, but even if it's on our cell phones, we'll follow what Messi is doing.
He is the idol of many people, ”said a representative of the University of Sharjah.
Also caught up in more institutional acts are the group of authors and publishers who have been invited to the official food of the fair, placed right during the game.
"Luckily it will be at the Hilton hotel and there are many televisions to watch the match," said Andrés Ramírez, editorial director of the literary division of Penguin Random House in Mexico.
In the difficult choice, at least this time, between football and literature, there were also those who did not feel challenged by either of the two options.
A few hours before the match, the Bolivian writer and activist María Galindo said during breakfast at the hotel restaurant that she planned to stay in her room preparing her afternoon presentation.
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