When we lost with Germany, that fateful late 2014 in Brazil, I felt something had broken forever. Nothing was the same after that party. Football was different, different. The relationship with Argentina was down. The illusion had been so great that defeat made the coup much stronger. The deazon was total. Mario Götze, to the minute 113 of the party, caught the dream of a guantazo. Argentina lost the End of the World against Germany, and Messi, together with a whole country, would have empty hands and eyes red and watered by crying. How much pain...
They say that the first love does not forget, that lasts forever. The most beautiful memories and not so beautiful. Victories and defeats. The exploits. Everything. That selection, for many, was the first love. And it will last forever. The following years we wanted to try again, but it didn't work. We let ourselves out and the relationship got worse. We did the duel. Until one day, we decided to trust again. We'd think it wasn't possible anymore, it wouldn't make sense. We would believe that nothing could cure the 2014 wound. But life shows that yes, that pains heal, that the wounds heal, and that football gives rematch.
This Sunday December 18 at the Lusail Stadium, Argentina will play its sixth end of the world against France. After having surpassed the group stage and defeating in direct elimination to Australia, the Netherlands, and Croatia, Argentina returns to the end of the most important tournament. And it comes from smaller to larger: from the premiere to oblivion with Saudi Arabia at 3-0 and showtime Lionel Messi against Croatia. With outstanding appearances such as Julián Álvarez, Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández, the Selection proposes much more than a disastrous of individualities: it is a team. And everything is always more than the sum of its parts.
The French will be on the other side. Last champions of the world and with a plantel full of figures. Although they suffered the casualties of Kanté, Pogba and not less than Karim Benzema, among others, could replace these absences with figures such as Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), or the great appearance: Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid). The Team Didier Deschamps will seek to make history and climb to the palmarés of Brazil and Italy, until the hour, the only two selections that were champions of the world consecutively. The Tanos were the first to win the titles 1934 and 1938, while the ♪ Candy ♪ He did that. 1958 and 1962.
Life gives second chances and football gives you rematches. That way it works and so are the laps of life. Everything comes and everything comes back, always. The last World Argentina withdrew in Octavos de Final after losing 4-3 in front of France, which was later consecrated in the title against Croatia, a rival that Argentina suffered in that group stage losing 3-0 and that a few days ago won it in semifinals for that same result. It's all crazy. All very football.
This World Cup would seem to revolve around Messi, for being possibly his last participation, his last opportunity to raise the golden trophy with Argentina, his last dance. But so and all, the numbers justify the reasons: it takes 5 goals and 9 participations in the 12 so many of the Argentina Selection. It is, so far, what more chances it created (18), which most missed it (20) and what most watched (3). But there is something that statistics cannot buy: their magic. The Argentine captain is in one of the best moments of his career. Like that twenty-two pibe that made us to make us from the armchair a plethora of times, after leaving some rivals on the ground or dizzy by these skill fintas each time your left foot connects with the ball. It's the same. Intacto. With more beard and some wrinkles, it is possible, but an extraordinary talent not worthy of a 35-year-old type. Just him. Similarly, there is a young Frenchman, who, also with his talent, makes strength to divert that turn and take the cameras in his favor: Kylian Mbappé. Leo's partner in Paris, Kylian seems to be the successor of the Messi-Ronaldo era. Velocist by nature, this boy has that one something. The hallucinating capabilities and the fearful potential. Adding to that he is a national winner, with only 23 years going in search of his second World Cup and wants to be the villain of the film directed by Lionel Scaloni.
For those who know and are experts will be the strategist monologues. Football is often unpredictable and a World Final even more. Will the technician stop 4-4-2?, Or will it be 4-3-1-2?, enter Lisandro Martínez to form a line of 5?, what will happen to Di Maria? Only the technician knows. Then the party can be solved by an unthinking detail or by a working mechanics, like those who say. But the truth is that Argentina will overcome all tactics and rule possible, having a player more at your disposal: people. They've already confessed to the Dutch and also the Croatians. It's intimidating. There are more than 50,000 Argentines in Qatar - the stadium has a capacity of 88,000 -, which gives us a number that places us as places, without any objection.
So far my words come. Not much more. The nerves have been walking through my body for days. The anxiety too. Fear appears sporadically, so go. But there's something you've always been and it's trust. This team represents us all. We'll go to war with them if necessary. Whether the France of Deschamps or Napoleon, this team will not let us play. I told you Captain Messi. I'm just asking football and God to be fair for Argentina, for Lionel. Effort to fall and rise, from overcoming, from discipline, from love to t-shirt. That's Messi and that's this fighting squad that defends us in Qatar and that will do it on Sunday like never before. Argentina more united than ever and judges history: 18/12/2022.
ARGENTINA!
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