Before the last time Argentina won the World Cup, then-national coach Carlos Salvador Bilardo gave his team clear instructions on luggage. You should pack a suit and a bed sheet: “The suit in case we become world champions. The sheet in case we are eliminated in the first round and have to emigrate to Saudi Arabia.” Exile in Saudi Arabia was prevented: Diego Maradona led Argentina to their second World Cup title in Mexico.
And so back to the present: There are still two preliminary round games to come in the current World Cup, against Mexico and Poland. But Maradona’s successors should inquire about the prices if they haven’t packed sheets. They lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in Lusail on Tuesday afternoon – after 36 games in a row – despite leading 1-0 and gave their country the biggest embarrassment in Argentina’s World Cup debut since the 1-0 loss to Cameroon in Italy, summer 1990.
Overjoyed Saudis: The players, here Abdulellah Al-Malki, could hardly have counted on this start.
(Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
The story, she was present at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday. As Argentina’s team, led by Lionel Messi, warmed up on the pitch, the speakers blared “La mano de Dios”, a tribute to the Cuarteto-singer Rodrigo to Maradona. Thousands of Argentinian fans joined in the refrain: “Maradó, Maradó…” But that wasn’t what really gave the morning in Lusail World Cup flair. But the extensive hymnal of the Argentine fans, which was full of references to Maradona and his parents: “…and we can see/how Diego in the sky/with Don Diego and the Tota/Lionel cheers.”
Ironically, Messi’s loss of the ball triggers the goal to make it 1-1
And something else was special: the day after the Europeans’ armband fiasco, Messi & Co. wore a warm-up shirt with a rainbow on the outfitter’s logo. What should not be further glorified, at least not in the case of Messi. It stands like the online magazine The Athletic reported on Tuesday on the pay-roll of the Tourism Association of the emphatically homophobic Saudi Arabia.
The contract didn’t stop Messi from doing his patriotic duty. As soon as the game had started, he tested the legendary Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais. He dived and lived up to his reputation as a shiny, resilient keeper. A few minutes later, however, the Saudis fell victim to the video referee VAR, who spotted a foul by Saud Abdulhamid on Leandro Paredes in a corner kick: Penalty! Messi converted to 1-0 lead.
What followed was a mixture of rarely healthy Saudi hardness, Argentinian phlegm, the nerves of the World Cup debut – and three other interventions by the VAR. He annulled three Argentinian goals for offside – one by Messi and two by Lautaro Martínez. Possibly the Argentines were reassured that they seemed to create chances effortlessly. Perhaps it was the unusual kick-off time, which does not at all correspond to the usual shifts of professional footballers. In any case, the Saudis did something sensational early in the second half, turning the Lusail Stadium into an intimidating colossus that rivaled Porto’s Dragão Stadium in terms of volume.
Argentina disappoints and never finds clear ideas
Ironically, a ball loss by Messi in the center circle triggered the 1-1. A certain Firas al-Buraikan put a long ball on Saleh al-Sheri, who hit the far post (47′). Five minutes later, Salem Al-Dawsari, who played for Villarreal in the Spanish league for six months, made it 2-1. In a messianic way: he curled the ball from the edge of the box to the top right corner. His celebration was reminiscent of Nadia Comaneci: he nailed his flick flack almost as well as the legendary Romanian gymnast.
Moment of shock: Defender al-Sharani has to be carried out of the stadium after being hit in the head.
(Photo: Juan Mabromata/AFP)
Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni made a change, which the regulations allowed. But no matter how hard his side tried, they never found a clear idea against the Saudi side, who were brilliantly prepared by French coach Hervé Renard. The biggest chance – Nico Tagliafico in the 63rd minute – was more of a coincidence, later Lionel Messi headed in and al-Owais saved. Later, when eight minutes of stoppage time came, Messi threatened again – after an unsuccessful defense by al-Owais. However, the action was canceled for offside.
In the end it was almost a drama: during a rescue, goalkeeper al-Owais brutally caught his defender al-Sharani with his head on the temple. Al-Sharani must have been unconscious, but a little later he was able to get up. And might even provide tips for Argentinians who need sheets: The wholesale market Lulu is widespread in the Asian and Arabic world. And comparatively cheap. Unless, like many of his comrades, he was busy kneeling, burying his forehead in the grass and thanking Allah.