The premiere was with triumph and relief for the U20 National Team. It was necessary to spend the first game of the World Cup with a smile to reaffirm the previous work and disperse any vestige of the South American. The day after, here in Santiago del Estero, Argentina woke up with high humor and renewed spirits. There were visits from relatives and training in the afternoon. And to finish releasing all the tensions of the debut, Javier Mascherano decided to run back from the premises where the delegation practices to the hotel.
There are about 8 kilometers that separate the Iosep property, where Central Córdoba is usually prepared and is now used by the national youth team, from the NH Hotel that is located in the downtown area of Santiago. And the former flyer decided not to get on the bus with his boys and warn that he preferred to go on a trot. He had company since at his side was one of his collaborators, Lucas Rodriguez Pagano.
In the best Forest Gump style, Masche suddenly appeared around the far corner of the hotel and was followed by motorcycles of the local police and private security personnel who, seeing him upstairs, agitated and sweating, opened the fences immediately.
But the coach, despite exhaustion from the run, attended to the fans who were waiting for a photo and an autograph. After a couple of selfies he did get into the albiceleste bunker for snack.
Why did he run back from the grounds? "It's a way to release the tensions and anxieties of these days," they told Clarín from the blue and white coaching staff. It's not just kids who move; both Mascherano and his working group stay active and usually go for a run several kilometers to stay in shape and also like a ground cable.
Santiago del Estero. Special envoy.