FOOTBALL in Argentina
Argentina in the World Cups
The participation of Argentina in the World Cup had practically gone unnoticed until one man beyond compare made the difference. Diego Armando Maradona, a milestone that generates love and hatred at the same time.
History goes that in 1978, the World Cup was held in our country and our national team won its first football world championship. Even though the victory was celebrated all throughout the country, there were enough domestic reasons for people not to feel completely identified.
In 1986, instead, with democracy and Mexico as the host, we did become consecrated as World Champions, without any help, without suspicion, just because we played the game and we were the best. The way it should always have been.
It was then when Diego Armando Maradona had the courage to avoid all and any player from the opposite team who dared to cross his way and score two jewels that would remain forever in the history of football. They both took place during the same match and had political and social condiments: the rival was England (the inventors of football), and it happened right after the war conflict between both countries over the famous Malvinas.
The man in the T-shirt with the number 10 on it, dressed up as a magician forever. "The Hand of God" scored the first goal of this great match (illegally) and after a few minutes the whole world witnessed how this short man once nicknamed Pelusa scattered English players all around the field and showed us the best goal in the history of all world cup championships. The rest was just a procedure; the World Cup already had an Argentinian taste.
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The Ball, Diego and Malvinas
It may sound crazy and many may say that it cannot even begin to be compared. A football match has nothing to do with a war, with winners and losers, with victims. The truth is that I have lived in a country where history once asked a simple footballer to take revenge on a war. Yes, just like that. As fantastic, as irrational as it may sound, but as true at the same time. And what many, almost all, wished for became true. Not only did the footballer defeat the opposite team, but he also gave origin to a masterpiece that will never be forgotten by either side. The revenge was terrible and it has also become more famous than that small war itself. And all this with just a ball.
(Pablo Etchevers)
