In Lyon,
Laughter, songs, endless encouragement, tears of stress and finally tears of joy. Gathered in the hot Lyonnais bar Calle Latino to follow the final between the Albiceleste and the Blues, the Argentinians capsized with happiness after going through all the emotions during a totally crazy match.
” It is deserved. We fought really well. We gave everything until the last minute, savors Hugo. In good and bad times, the Argentines are always behind their team. And tonight, excellence won out. “Welded like never before, the supporters never stopped encouraging their selection, even when Kylian Mbappé put the counters back on par in less than two minutes, when no one was betting dearly on the future of the Blues. Carried by “the spirit of Diego”, calling him to transcend Lionel Messi from above, they were as excited as their compatriots on the ground.
Messi on a pedestal
Out of “superstition”, Carla wore the same jersey at each meeting. A jersey dating from 1986. “I put on the same jeans each time and my mother, her underwear”, laughs the young woman, “happy above all for Messi”. “He was criticized at one time because he was accused of not singing the national anthem. He was also criticized for winning everything with his club Barcelona but for not giving his all for the selection. This competition was for him,” she enthuses. “He did so much, he won everything. All he needed was the World Cup to finish on a pedestal, ”says Noelia.
“This year, there is a particular energy, everyone has been euphoric since the start of the tournament. There is really something different that I feel compared to usual, confided Valeria before kick-off. At each meeting, the Argentines took to the streets as if they had just won the World Cup. Now, it’s done. Thirty-six years after his last victory, the Albiceleste won his third star, depriving the Habs of a historic double.
“Tonight, it’s the heart that wins”
“France is a magnificent team that I admire. She was above us technically throughout the competition – except tonight – but here, we have a different way of experiencing football, believes Cecylia. We vibrate for the selection from the first match, we do not wait for the quarter-finals. »
“I’m happy for the whole nation, exults Joachim, who never stopped having his compatriots sing to the rhythm of his drum throughout the meeting. This World Cup, we needed it. The country is particularly suffering from the economic crisis. Tonight is heart-warming and will help people. It will cheer them up. »
“Football is the only thing that brings us together, whether you are rich or poor. Even political parties put their quarrels aside,” adds Carla, who was one year old when Argentina last crowned and was patiently waiting to experience the same joy as her parents. “Tonight, it’s the heart that wins”, she concludes with joy before leaving to celebrate the victory until the early morning.