"Hemos sufrido mucho, pero no se puede pedir más. El fútbol es un deporte loco. Ganar el Mundial es el sueño de todo niño. Esto es para el pueblo argentino". - Lionel Messi tras haber conquistado la Copa del Mundo en Qatar 2022.
"We suffered a lot, but one can't ask for more. Football is a crazy sport. Winning the World Cup is every child's dream. This is for all the Argentinian people. - Lionel Messi after winning the World Cup in Qatar 2022.
A partir de hoy, Lusail será “Tierra Santa” para el pueblo argentino, como lo es el Estadio Azteca desde 1986. El coso qatarí ha sido el recinto que el destino tenía reservado para que el fútbol hiciera, por fin, justicia a uno de los hombres que mejor ha tratado la pelota dentro y fuera de la campo. Si es o no, Lionel Messi, el mejor de todos los tiempos no seré yo quien lo decida, no habré de caer en esa trampa que propone la subjetividad. Lo que sí haré, sin rubor ni reparo, es dejar muy en claro que antes del silbatazo inicial del colegiado, Szymon Marciniak, Lionel ya era leyenda y, tras el silbatazo final que no supo escucharse por el estruendo desatado tras el cobro de Gonzalo Montiel, Messi ha pasado a ser eterno.
“Hemos sufrido mucho, pero no se puede pedir más”, claro que lo han sufrido, Leo, y nadie, nadie lo sufrió más que tú. Nadie soportó más críticas, ninguneos y comparaciones estupidas con “el Diego”, has cargado con el peso histórico de la figura de Maradona y, durante mucho tiempo, cargaste con la insensatez de aquellos quienes cuestionaban tu compromiso con la albiceleste o el amor por tu país porque simplemente hubiste de mudarte -cuando aún eras un niño- a otra tierra para perseguir tus sueños; hubo incluso quien se atrevió a blasfemar cosas del tipo: “Messi no ha hecho, ni hará nada por la Argentina, que se quede en Barcelona, ahí sí es el mejor del Mundo”.
From now on, Lusail will be "Holy Land" for the Argentinian people, just as the Azteca Stadium has been since 1986. The Qatari arena was the place that destiny had reserved for football to finally do justice to one of the men who has treated the ball best on and off the pitch. Whether or not Lionel Messi is the best of all time is not for me to decide, I will not fall into the trap of subjectivity. What I will do, without blushing or hesitation, is to make it very clear that before the opening whistle of the referee, Szymon Marciniak, Lionel was already a legend and, after the final whistle that could not be heard due to the roar unleashed after Gonzalo Montiel's shot, Messi has become eternal.
"We have suffered a lot, but you can't ask for more", of course you have suffered, Leo, and nobody, nobody suffered more than you. No one has endured more criticism, denial and stupid comparisons with "el Diego", you have borne the historical weight of the figure of Maradona and, for a long time, you bore the senselessness of those who questioned your commitment to the Albiceleste or your love for your country because you simply had to move - when you were still a child - to another land to pursue your dreams; there were even those who dared to blaspheme things like: "Messi has not done, nor will he do anything for Argentina, let him stay in Barcelona, there he is the best in the World".
Blasting this one at full volume 🔊🇦🇷
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 18, 2022
No te diré que los perdones, querido Leo, claro está que esas cuitas las tienes más que zanjadas, quizá les perdonaste cuando recapacitaste y decidiste volver a calzarte la elástica con los colores de tu país para volver a perseguir ese sueño que desde pequeño llevabas clavado en el alma y que te acompañó desde el primer segundo en que tocaste una pelota, cuando, quienes te vieron hacerlo supieron -incluso antes que tú- que estabas destinado a ser distinto a todos nosotros. ¡Hoy, tu pueblo es uno contigo, Leo! Si alguien aún dudaba de ti, le has apagado las vacilaciones y las disyuntivas a base de fútbol, de carácter, de personalidad y de esa magia tan tuya.
A las orillas del Golfo Pérsico, en la oscura noche del desierto qatarí, acompañado de un grupo de guerreros extraordinarios que te arroparon, te bancaron, te abrazaron y te impulsaron; acompañado también de un estratega al que muchos -como a ti- hicieron menos por “carecer de méritos” para comandar el barco albiceleste, ahí has encontrado tu tierra prometida, el sitio en que dejaste de mirarla de lejos para, por fin, poder besar a esa Copa que tanto se te resistía, aquella por la que tanto lloraste al caer con Alemania en 2014. Dice un viejo adagio de la cultura popular que: las cosas pasan por algo; y no pudo ser Brasil porque Qatar tenía escrita para ti la final más linda de todas.
I won't tell you to forgive them, dear Leo, of course you have more than settled those quarrels, perhaps you forgave them when you came to your senses and decided to put on the jersey with the colours of your country to return to pursue that dream that you have had stuck in your soul since you were a child and that accompanied you from the first second you touched a ball, when those who saw you do it knew -even before you did- that you were destined to be different from all of us. Today, your people are one with you, Leo! If anyone still had any doubts about you, you have extinguished their hesitations and dilemmas with football, character, personality and that magic that is so much yours.
On the shores of the Persian Gulf, in the dark night of the Qatari desert, accompanied by a group of extraordinary warriors who supported you, supported you, embraced you and pushed you forward; accompanied also by a strategist whom many - like you - dismissed as "unworthy" to command the Albiceleste ship, there you found your promised land, the place where you stopped looking at it from afar to finally be able to kiss that Cup that was so hard to find, the one you cried for so much when you lost to Germany in 2014. There is an old adage in popular culture that says: things happen for a reason; and it couldn't have been Brazil because Qatar had the most beautiful final of all written for you.
Tú y los tuyos superaron a la Campeona Regente durante 90% del trámite del tiempo regular; dos goles, uno tuyo desde el manchón y una contra que iniciaste para que la firmase tu amigo y fiel escudero, a ese que apodan “Fideo”. Tú y tus muchachos supieron arrebatarle todas las certezas a un equipo que está lleno de ellas, pero el fútbol es tan misterioso como maravilloso y, al minuto 79’, un penalti despertó a ese rival que estaba llamado a ser y no estaba siendo. Mbappé, compañero tuyo de otras batallas, marcó desde el manchón y 95 segundos después volvió a aparecer para emparejar los cartones y presentar, por enésima vez, sus credenciales a ser tu sucesor natural en la escena del fútbol Mundial.
Los fantasmas volvían, querido Leo, los recuerdos de todas esas finales perdidas que lloraste y que tu pueblo lloró contigo o contra ti, se agolpaban en el ambiente, pero tú y los tuyos se mantuvieron fuertes y al 108’ volviste a escena para empujar el gol que significaba alcanzar ese añorado campeonato, se desataba la locura en cada rincón del planeta en el que hubiese un argentino o un amante del fútbol con nacionalidad indistinta que soñaba con ver el preciso momento en que la pelota te hiciera justicia. Un nuevo penalti para Francia, era irrefutable y al 118’ Kylian volvía a aparecer para marcar el segundo triplete en la historia de las finales de la Copa y seguía amenazando con arrebatarte la gloria.
You and your boys outplayed the Champion Regent for 90% of the regular time; two goals, one of your own from the penalty spot and a counter-attack that you initiated for your friend and faithful squire, the one nicknamed "Fideo" to sign. You and your boys were able to take away all the certainties from a team that is full of them, but football is as mysterious as it is marvellous and, in the 79th minute, a penalty woke up the rival that was meant to be and was not being. Mbappé, your partner in other battles, scored from the spot and 95 seconds later he appeared again to level the scores and present, for the umpteenth time, his credentials to be your natural successor on the world football scene.
The ghosts came back, dear Leo, the memories of all those lost finals that you cried and that your people cried with you or against you, were in the air, but you and yours stayed strong and at 108' you returned to the scene to push the goal that meant reaching that longed-for championship, the madness was unleashed in every corner of the planet where there was an Argentinean or a football lover of any nationality who dreamed of seeing the precise moment when the ball would do you justice. Another penalty for France was irrefutable and at 118' Kylian appeared again to score the second hat-trick in the history of the Cup finals and was still threatening to snatch the glory.
📸🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/RzHopavYJP
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 18, 2022
Llegamos al manchón, cobró Kylian y acertó, era tu turno e hiciste gala de tu abrumadora clase al momento en que acariciaste esa bola y la enviaste a besar las redes, “el Dibu” -que ya te había ayudado en la Copa América de Brasil- frenó a Coman y Dybala que jugó poco aportó lo que tenía que poner, Tchouameni falló y Paredes cumplió para poner las cosas 3-1 en la tanda de tus sueños, de los nuestros, del balón. Acertó Kolo Muani, pero nadie de los tuyos iba a fallarte, todos ellos querían que tocaras la gloria, casi el Mundo entero deseaba verte conseguirlo… El último cobro fue de Montiel pero ese balón lo metimos todos con la intención de verte sonreír de una vez por todas, para ser testigos de cómo esbozabas la sonrisa que se te había escapado en las 4 Copas anteriores.
El Mundo es tuyo Lionel, querido. La Copa que tanto añorabas ha llegado a tus manos, tanto la sufriste, la deseaste y la esperaste que, tras recibir el justo premio al mejor jugador de este Mundial, no tuviste reparo alguno en acariciarla y por fin besarla… ya era tuya y lo entendemos, no había razón para esperar un segundo más por ella; la habías ganado y con creces. Que no ganaras un Mundial era como si la magia no tuviese truco, como si Gardel no hubiese compuesto tangos, como si Quino no nos hubiese regalado a Mafalda, como si Pizarnik y Cortazar no tuvieran verso y prosa, como si Borges no hubiera escrito nunca, como si el asado supiera a una comida de día cualquiera o el mate supiese a la peor de las infusiones. Que no hubieras ganado un Mundial, querido Leo, sería tan ilógico como el decir que en tu país el fútbol no es una religión en la que hoy has escrito tu propio evangelio; de Diego es el Antiguo testamento, tuyo es el Nuevo y lo más maravilloso de todo es que el único profeta en él has sido tú mismo.
We reached the penalty spot, Kylian took the spot-kick and got it right, it was your turn and you showed your overwhelming class when you caressed the ball and sent it to kiss the net, "el Dibu" - who had already helped you in the Copa America in Brazil - stopped Coman and Dybala, who played very little, gave what he had to give, Tchouameni missed and Paredes made it 3-1 in the shoot-out of your dreams, of ours, of the ball. Kolo Muani missed, but none of your people were going to let you down, they all wanted you to touch the glory, almost the whole world wanted to see you achieve it... The last shot was Montiel's but we all put that ball in with the intention of seeing you smile once and for all, to witness how you were smiling the smile that had escaped you in the previous 4 Cups.
The World Cup is yours Lionel, my dear. The Cup that you longed for so much has arrived in your hands, you suffered so much, you longed for it and waited for it so much that, after receiving the just award for the best player of this World Cup, you had no qualms about caressing it and finally kissing it... it was already yours and we understand that, there was no reason to wait a second longer for it; you had won it and more than deserved it. That you didn't win a World Cup was as if magic had no trick, as if Gardel hadn't composed tangos, as if Quino hadn't given us Mafalda, as if Pizarnik and Cortazar didn't have verse and prose, as if Borges had never written, as if asado tasted like any other day's meal or mate tasted like the worst of infusions. That you had not won a World Cup, dear Leo, would be as illogical as saying that in your country football is not a religion in which today you have written your own gospel; Diego's is the Old Testament, yours is the New one and the most wonderful thing of all is that the only prophet in it has been yourself.
✍🏼: Paco Andújar ⚽