It seems like a lie: there was no chance in 2018 that this would work out. None. Or very few, An inexperienced coach, players -more than players, leaders, references- already outside the Selection like Masche leaving gaps that seemed impossible to fill, a leadership that came from having told us that Sampaoli was the best in the world, a bloody journalistic medium (ours, Argentine, us), that never loses, world champions of Twitter, but, above all, the first thing: that of an inexperienced coaching staff. Not even in clubs. In Messi’s National Team, a coach who had only directed kids in L’Alcudia (where?) And, above all, in a country of 44 million technicians, starting with Cholo Simeone, Gallardo, Pochettino, Rondina, Kudelka, Coleoni … Because anyone had more scrolls than Scaloni. Any. But three years after that 2018, here we are: with a consolidated base, with a list already almost built thinking about Qatar (name more, name less), with one foot in the World Cup, but, above all, with this beautiful communion between the people and the team.
There is a huge De Paul, a Cholo Simeone version 2.0, pure display, claw, heart and arrival in the rival area; two centrals that are already fixed; a Lautaro that is the Bati of 2021 and a Leo who can have a loose match (He felt a bit tired), like yesterday against Peru, and yet the team shows its face. And win, no less.
We played quite badly against Peru, but we are fine. Living this almost unique moment. Because the Monumental is abuzz with the Selection. Yes, a hive. They sing “dale champion”, they vibrate with Leo, of course, with Di María, with Draw (tremendous breath in the penalty area), with Scaloni. Here we are: pure happiness.
Now, for example, Leo does not kick free throws knowing that, if Gallese is covered or he goes to the stands, in those same stands, there will be someone who will say “he’s a phenomenon, but he didn’t win anything with the National Team.” Now he kicks the free throws knowing that, if he goes to the stands, they will applaud him. That, beyond the Copa América in Brazil, is the great achievement of this team.
And, now, that we are like this, happy, and near Qatar, now that we no longer have that famous backpack; Now that we walk lightly and happily along the path of the sun, and that life smiles on us, and that we arrive comfortable at the end of the month, and that no one thinks of going to play Bombonera to scare Peruvians or Bolivians or the Venezuelans; Now that a photo of Messi surrounded by seven Uruguayans is “look, asshole, they can’t take it from him,” and it’s not a “look, asshole, you can’t, play alone”; Now that people are yelling Fideo, Fideo, and they don’t bitch at Di María; now that the technician is not “Scaloni? Where did that come from? ” and he is the Leonidas of Pujato capable of defeating 250 thousand Persians in the Battle of Thermopylae or of recovering the Malvinas with a toothpick; now that the Monumental is pure breath and tickets are sold out, Now is the time to shout that great goal from Lautaro looking at the sky, but with his feet on the ground.
Because we dance to Uruguay, we get rid of a Peru that always complicates us, we achieved seven of the last nine points and we continue with the undefeated (25 games), it will be a matter of enjoying this present, but without leaving the mambo (remember Korea / Japan 2002). We are not candidates. We will go to Qatar to compete. Germany (always), France and Spain (for a long time), Italy (today), the Netherlands (surely tomorrow) are a couple of steps above us. We are on the right track. Nothing more and nothing less (something unthinkable three years ago). And a great credit goes to Scaloni, it must be said …
THE VIDEOS OF THE NATIONAL TEAM MATCH
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