If what was experienced in the Monumental last Thursday was a true madness of love on the part of the Argentine fans, the welcome that the World Champion Team had in Santiago del Estero, the province chosen so that the Interior of the country could also see up close to Lionel Messi and company, he was not left behind at all.
Hundreds of people from Santiago took to the streets
late at night to see the bus from the team that brought the Qatar Cup go by.
"Even when a president comes, this type of spectacular operation is not carried out," says the taxi driver who transports Clarín envoys from the Vicecomodoro Ángel de la Paz Aragonés airport to the center of the capital of Santiago.
Emilio,
the taxi driver in question, reveals that he is the father of the well-known ragpicker Rusherking
, a partner of actress China Suárez.
"He gets along well with Rodrigo De Paul," he says about his son's relationship with soccer.
But he does not give more details and while the trip continues, the billboards on the sides of each path accompany them infinitely.
"There are six kilometers of travel, absolutely all fenced," he adds.
As Emilio says, who chooses to continue doing his job beyond the tremendous public success of his artist son, the police deployment is spectacular.
The fences form a perfect worm from the airport exit to the door of the Hilton Hotel
, where the national team is staying, waiting for the game this Tuesday from 8:30 p.m. with Curaçao.
“To be able to work these days, they gave us special permission to enter and leave the airport.
Those who do not have that permission cannot access.
This was especially due to the arrival of the National Team ”, he details.
The National Team was in Paraguay but hundreds of people came to the hotel to wait for them. Photo: Fernando de la Orden
The visit of the world champion team is a novelty.
It is that to remember
an Argentine team that has been crowned with the most important trophy of all playing in another territory of the country that is not Buenos Aires, you have to go back more than 40 years
.
From 1986 to 1990 they never organized matches far from Buenos Aires.
But from 78 to 82, yes.
In that period, 15 official class A duels were played, of which 5 were divided between Mar del Plata (2), Mendoza, Rosario and Córdoba.
Likewise,
Santiago is a place known for the Scaloneta
.
In the middle of 2021, before playing the Copa América that ended with obtaining the title at the Maracana, Argentina faced Chile (it was 1-1) for Qualifying.
That crossing had a very special detail: it was the debut of the goal of Emiliano Martínez, who entered due to the absence of Franco Armani, positive for coronavirus.
Also that night, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero and Julián Alvarez made their debut, all key players in Qatar 2022.
Santiago del Estero prepares for the end of the endless party of champions.
The Madre de Ciudades Stadium will be packed with 42,000 spectators
and will vibrate with their idols, but you will also be able to enjoy shows by La Mosca, La T y la M, Los Totora, Banda XXI, Q'Locura and DJ Meme Bouquet.
The Anthem will be sung by Los Manseros Santiagueños, Héctor Garnica and Las Mullieris.
The gates of the court will open five hours before the initial whistle, at 3:30 p.m.
The programming will be similar to what happened at the River, with shows in the run-up, at halftime and at the end of the night, which will also close this unforgettable tour for the team that won the third star on Arab soil.
A preview of what will be experienced in the stadium was seen in what was the arrival of the Selection to this province.
More than 1,500 local police officers were part of the operation
.
They will be joined by thousands more for the friendly with Curaçao.
From early on, the surroundings of the albiceleste bunker here were filled with fans, mostly families with boys wearing their Messi or Dibu Martínez shirts, the most applauded.
Part of religion: a giant painting of Messi that caught the attention of a nun. Photo: Fernando de la Orden
“
I want to tell Dibu that I love him, I saw all his saves in the World Cup.
I want you to sign my shirt.
I am a goalkeeper for him
, I like him more than Messi", Isabella's voice is heard behind an Emiliano Martínez mask.
She, a 10-year-old girl, is fully dressed as the goalkeeper of the National Team and next to her is her mother: "I am putting up with my daughter who is a Dibu fan," she explains with the face of a proud mother.
“Thank you Dibu for the saved penalties, thanks for the third one”, adds Aaron, also 10 years old.
“I come to see Tagliafico, I love him”, confesses Jésica (37), surrounded by friends she made in these hours under the hot sun of the Argentine North.
But
from the sides they immediately shout for the Lionels, Messi and Scaloni
.
Valentina (19) has an intact smile despite not having gotten tickets for the game: "It was impossible to get anything."
Ximena (21) adds: "And the resale is very expensive, they ask between 40 and 300 thousand pesos for a ticket."
Raúl (20) is content to see them go by: "For us, who do not have access to many things, it is a privilege that they are here."
The passion for the Scaloneta explodes in Santiago, who overflows with love for the world champions.
A demonstration that would surely be repeated in every corner of the country.
An eternal "Thank you", for eternal glory.
Santiago del Estero.
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