Argentina’s defeat drops like a bucket of cold water in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires stopped this Tuesday (22) to watch Argentina’s debut in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, but the excitement gave way to disappointment among Argentine fans with the surprising defeat by 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, a of the greatest upsets in the history of the World Cups.

“They trusted themselves too much, nobody expected that, we should have won the first three games easily and now it’s complicated,” Carlos Cuera told AFP, still sitting in front of the television in a cafe on Corrientes Street that quickly became empty. once the game is over.

“It was a blow, a bucket of cold water and now on Saturday, against Mexico, it’s another pressure”, he evaluated about Argentina’s next opponent for Group C, which still has Poland.

The city quickly resumed its usual rhythm after spending two hours in front of television screens to watch the game, which was played at 7 am local time, before the intense movement of shops and offices.

The Argentine capital was covered in white and light blue, with flags on kiosks, windows and shop windows, and the city council installed a gigantic allusive ball in front of the Obelisk.

On Corrientes Street, a central thoroughfare a few meters from the Obelisk, a café has set up a screen facing the sidewalk and many delivery men, taxi drivers and even bus drivers took advantage and slowed down more than necessary at traffic lights in the hope of seeing some goal.

VAR is the target of insults

Inside, office workers, vendors and tourists jumped out of their chairs to cheer Argentina’s goal, which Messi scored with a penalty in the 10th minute.

They also joined in a whirlwind of curses at VAR due to the two disallowed goals and suffered a second half “of terror”, as defined by Norberto Protzmann, a fan like so many others disappointed with the defeat.

“Argentina left the game and the players were overconfident. On the other hand, the opponent put their life into each play because they knew they were facing one of the great teams and it worked for them”, he concluded.

More supportive, Gustavo Leal, 75 years old, a retired Boca Juniors fan, considered that there was “a very good first half, with many goal opportunities that excited”.

“But VAR played against us. Football with technology is no longer football. This World Cup is missing (Diego) Maradona”, he said with a gesture of putting salt on his plate, in allusion to the legendary player who died in 2020.

Despite the defeat, Leal declared himself optimistic. “The first game is as difficult as the last. I still have confidence in him, (coach Lionel) Scaloni is a measured guy, who knows how to lead the team, I’m very excited”, he said.

Ismael Rojas is one of the waiters who, like his companions, wear the Argentine shirt in a place decorated for the occasion. With the cafe empty of customers, he shakes his head behind the bar. “Argentina lacked depth, these guys played with energy and it was a game to give everything.