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We are difficult, we are proud, we are football

2022-12-19T19:53:24.930Z


Argentina is going through a very difficult time politically, socially and economically, a catastrophe mitigated for a month by the enormous force of the World Cup


Argentina felt like a country in Qatar thanks to soccer.

Country united, happy and excited.

Of course, embracing the providential hero that we have always needed, a Messi (as) whom we have ended up adoring only after verifying that he was adored by the world.

We are weird.

The country is going through a very difficult time politically, socially and economically, a catastrophe mitigated for a month by the enormous force of the World Cup.

All thanks to a team that did nothing more than proudly defend our football, which is built with many materials that emotion knows how to break down into that kind of collective madness that came down from the Qatar stands.

We are passionate.

But Qatar is just the latest chapter in a story that started with us.

When Argentina was taking over migratory flows from all latitudes, the English bequeathed soccer to us.

A tough game, somewhat confusing and that was unraveled with long passes.

But that style was quickly creolized with a contribution of mischief, skill and courage that was shown by putting the strong leg and asking for the ball.

Getting away from the English on the football field was a way of building identity.

Since that style identified “us” as much as it differentiated us from “them”, we defined it as “Ours”.

For many years, "Ours" was a sentiment that was proud of the field, shouted in the stands and speech in the bar on the corner.

If years later Maradona represented that football from action like no other,

It was Cesar Luis Menotti who gave it an ideological framework and filled it with content and pride.

In these days when football is more the son of its time than of a place, "Ours" is still alive at Messi's feet, as it was, of course, in that unit of measure that is still Maradona and in that revolutionary that Long before, it was Alfredo Di Stéfano.

We are proud.

Like so many others, Leo completed his apprenticeship in Europe, but whoever watches him play in his neighborhood at the age of 8 or 9 will see that the creative pattern we saw in every game he played in the World Cup was already there ever since.

If we went looking for the origin of "Ours", now it is time to look for Messi, the man who took ownership of this World Cup sentimentally and footballingly.

Leo was born in Rosario, in a cattle farming area that produces wheat, corn, soybeans, meat and soccer players.

All export products of good quality.

Rosario produces soccer players of all profiles, but she has always been characterized by her artistic sensitivity when it comes to choosing her idols.

Hundreds of high-level players and coaches were born in that area.

That's why I like to say that Rosario deserved a Messi as much as Messi needed Rosario.

The one who came to Qatar was that Messi we knew as a child, but after a long journey of more than 1,000 games.

Only he knows what he enjoyed and what he suffered along the way, but the truth is that he knew what to do with that experience and today he is a genius and he is wise.

To prove it, you have to give him a ball because, although the spaces are increasingly important, he continues to play with a ball.

When he receives it, a 10-second run full of brakes, starts, feints, as against Croatia, or clarifying a play with a touch twisting his foot, as in Di María's goal in the Final, is enough for him.

In everything he does there is great football.

How is it detected?

Because he excites.

I have never seen so many people from so many places wanting the triumph of a country just for one man.

That strength, that energy, seemed to be behind Argentina's triumph.

As if the desire predestined.

Even soccer, which does not respect any rules, fell for this collective seduction.

But there was structure, as they now like to define the football building.

A team that knew how to play every game with moments of great football and an adult trade.

He also knew how to overcome terrible blows such as the defeat against Arabia in the first game;

like the draw against the Netherlands in the 101st minute that led us to extra time;

like the draw in France, which forced the Final to start again and make it unforgettable.

Still under the influence of Messi, I don't want to dwell on proper names.

Suffice it to say that Argentina was a team because it has a coach who made good decisions and because each one carried his virtues and his sacrifice to the maximum of his possibilities.

They all fed on everyone, as befits a healthy team, and the reward is that each one of them leaves the World Cup with a new status, which there will be time to review.

With this World Cup finished epically, I don't know how long the country will remain united around soccer because we tend to divide.

We are difficult.

But I am sure about something.

If we ever need an example of how to do something, even a country, let's turn to Qatar, where a group of passionate players together defied all the difficulties to reach the top, under the thunderous optimism of a fan that spread faith and love to the fans. football.

It's that we are many things, but also, and yesterday more than ever, we showed that we are football.

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Source: elparis

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