Buenos Aires always has football. Every day, every hour. Even if it sounds exaggerated and factually incorrect, that's always the feeling you get here. If River Plate doesn't play, then Boca Juniors are on the field. If not Boca, then Argentinos Juniors, Racing Club, Independiente, San Lorenzo, Wells Sarsfield, Arsenal and also the team of the Jewish community - Atlanta.
And if there are no football matches in one of the stadiums, then we are talking about football here. On radio stations, television, kiosks, taxis, on every street corner. And on every street corner like this there is huge football graffiti - usually of Diego Armando Maradona, but not only.
These days there's even a spectacular exhibition on Argentina's three World Cup wins, at La Rural – a must for anyone visiting the city soon. In addition, in Buenos Aires football shirts are a legitimate item of clothing for any place and purpose, and let's just say that it is not difficult to find them in stores.
And in the midst of all this football, the U-20 World Championship is currently taking place in the country. The Mondialito. This tournament could easily have been swallowed up by the daily madness of the Argentines, but the World Cup is alive and well and arouses a lot of interest here.
Argentina's victory in its first game created the desired effect, and alongside talk of San Lorenzo's good form, River's narrow victory over Platanesa and Julián Albers' title win with Manchester City, there is talk of the Under-20 World Cup. About Brazil's loss to Italy, about Uruguay's performance against Egypt, about South Korea's surprise victory over France, and yes, also about the Israeli team.
Senor. Israel should skip the obstacles, Photo: AFP
Overcoming the miss
Although most of the headlines dealt with the Colombian fan who was arrested after waving the Palestinian flag, many in Argentina were impressed by the ability displayed by Ofir Haim's players.
"At many stages, Israel was better than Colombia," says La Plata's Eldia website, "the end result is a big miss by Israel." And it is this feeling of missing out that the team has been trying to shake off since the final whistle of that game.
The day after the loss to Colombia, Ofir Haim's team held a closed practice, using the time in between to see what Buenos Aires had to offer, including a tour of Boca Juniors' Bombonera Stadium. At the same time, they celebrated Roy Revivo's 20th birthday. The main goal is to concentrate on tonight's game against Senegal, which could prove decisive in the fight for a place in the final eight, after both teams lost their opening game.
Ofir Haim. Maintains optimism, photo: AFP
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Yesterday, the team held another training session at Argentinos Juniors' facility, and it looks like the coach will keep the starting 11 against Colombia. Tonight, again at the stadium of La Plata, the Israeli national team will try to register another chapter in its wonderful journey and make it impossible to ignore even in the soccer capital of Buenos Aires.
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