Sigordo

Futbol or futebol or soccer; bolasepak or sepak bola: whatever you call it, I owe it to Argentina for making me fall in love with football.

I used to play football with my brother and uncle during the 80s but being the youngest in the team, I’m often asked to play as a goalkeeper. However, determined not to just play goalkeeper, I often studied recorded VHS tapes of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

It was from those recorded World Cup games, I found out that Argentina is indeed my first love when it comes to football.

From those video taped matches, I was simply awed at how Maradona worked his magic on the field and captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Mexico. En route to become champions, Maradona scored the best solo goal and the most controversial goal in World Cup history. We had recordings of Argentina vs. South Korea (group match), Argentina vs Uruguay (2nd Round match), Argentina vs England (Quarter-final), Argentina vs Belgium (Semis) and finally Argentina vs. West Germany which was one of the best final in the World Cup where Argentina won 3-2.

From then on, I felt that Argentina can do no wrong when it comes to playing football beautifully. I even skipped school for a few days to travel 8 hours to watch the Argentina youth team in 1997 when the FIFA World Youth Cup was held in Malaysia. Argentina was the eventual champions of the tournament playing under manager, Jose Pekerman. It then the world was introduced to the talents of Juan Roman Riquelme, Pable Aimar, Walter Samuel and Esteban Cambiasso.

But of course,  some would argue that Brazil is the best team in the world. It might be true but Brazilians are entertaining when it comes to their football skills and samba football and  they tend to produce great individual players. However, to me, Argentina has the ultimate team of free flowing attacking football with precision passes, exquisite through passes, simple one-two passes and their game play usually have excellent build-up plays.  If they don’t score from open play, they can also score notable goals from set pieces.

For one, Javier Zanetti’s goal against England in 1998 where he came out from nowhere behind the English wall to shoot a left-footed shot into the roof of the net for the equalizer off a crafty set play on a free kick.

As I mentioned earlier, I love Argentina’s free flowing attacking football with precision passes, exquisite through passes, simple one-two passes and their game play usually have excellent build-up play, well Argentina’s 26 pass goal against Serbia in the 2006 World Cup is a testament to that.

Unfortunately, despite playing the game beautifully, Argentina has struggled in recent times in international football. This is of course due to the unnecessary media pressure of young Argentine talents. With the slight potential shown, the player would then be dubbed ‘the next Maradona’. Players like Leonardo Rodgriquez, Ariel Ortega, Marcello Gallardo, Pablo Aimar, Seba Veron, Roman Riquelme, Carlos Tevez and D’allesandro were made to think and indirectly pressured to weave magic and win the World Cup like how Maradona did for Argentina in 1986.

However, those players mentioned never actually tasted glory at their club level. They often struggled. Their achievements at the club level couldn’t match Lionel Messi’s achievement in club competition at the highest level. That is why now, there is hope for Argentina because again, Lionel Messi also have been dubbed ‘The Next Maradona’. Why I said there’s hope because of the glory he achieved in Barcelona has helped him in managing pressure and actually letting his football do the talking. Since Maradona took over as coach, the attention has been much on him rather than the team, it may work in Messi’s and Argentina’s favour.

On that note, since Maradona is now the coach, I hope Argentina wins the World Cup and let the followers of the Maradonian Church (Yes, Iglesia Maradoniana (English: Maradonian Church) was created by fans of  Diego Maradona, who they believe to be the best player of all time) believe that Maradona is their football god for the sake of Argentina football in the future. If Argentina wins the World Cup under Maradona, Argentina would the have perfected the circle of the ‘Maradona Era’ with Argentina winning the World Cup under Maradona as a player and as a coach. Hopefully, that way, Argentina would  get over Maradona as their football god and break free from the idea that Maradona is their football saviour and move on after the this year’s World Cup victory (hopefully).

As for this year, as Messi said, “Argentina should only be afraid of Argentina.”

The current World Player of the Year believes his side should guard only against complacency. “We must remain concentrated and go forward as we have been doing, training with care and staying united. We really should not be afraid of anybody.”

Whatever it is, with love and hope, I’ll be singing

Vamos, vamos Argentina,
vamos, vamos a ganar,
que esta barra quilombera,
no te deja, no te deja de alentar.

until Argentina finally becomes the champions of the world…

However, if Argentina wins the World Cup this year, I would like to mention the best Argentinian team never to win the World Cup, would be the 1994 World Cup squad:

12  Luis Islas
1     Sergio Goycoechea (although he didn’t play in 1994, he was the hero in World Cup Italia in 1990)

3    Jose Chamot
4    Roberto Sensini
6    Oscar Ruggeri
13  Fernando Caceres

5     Fernando Redondo
14  Diego Simeone
10  Diego Maradona
19  Abel Balbo

7   Claudio Caniggia
9   Gabriel Batistuta
Notable subs:

8    Jose Basualdo
20  Leonardo Rodriguez
17  Ariel Ortega
21  Alejandro Mancuso
Vamos ARGENTINA!!!!!