Argentina adopts us against the world, in the best style of Maradona

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“What are you looking for, silly?”

In a matter of minutes, Lionel Messi’s challenging question to Wout Weghorst went around the world, became a meme on social media and sparked discussion among fans.

It was a call to arms. Qualified for the semifinals of the World Cup, the phrase on the shirt number 10 for the rival striker, “What are you looking at, silly?”, became an emblem of the selection that adopted the idea that, now, it’s them against the world. As Diego Maradona would.

“I celebrated in their faces because there was a player from the Netherlands who at every penalty came and said things to one of our players”, said defender Nicolás Otamendi after Argentina defeated the Netherlands on penalties last Friday (9) for the quarterfinals of Final.

In the same way as the video of Messi summoning Weghorst, the photo of Argentine players, with Otamendi in front, mocking the opponents when the match ended, went viral.

“The image was taken out of context and was our response to what happened,” defined the defender.

In the most exciting game and full of twists of the World Cup in Qatar, Argentina had a two-goal lead, tied in the 55th minute of the second half and won on penalties. The confrontation also had dozens of provocations, exchange of pushes and purposeful kick towards the Dutch bench athletes.

European publications criticized the behavior of the South Americans, accusing them of “arrogance” and of not knowing how to behave with dignity in victory.

For Argentine players who have had contact with the press, it is an unfair judgment.

“The referee gave them everything,” complained goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, hero of the penalty shootout with two saves.

The main architect of the Dutch provocations was full-back Denzel Dumfries. Coach Louis van Gaal’s statement that the Netherlands would have an advantage if the match went to penalties also irritated the alviceleste a lot. Martínez went to take satisfaction when the game ended and cursed the coach.

The defiant air delights the thousands of Argentina fans who are in Qatar for the World Cup. On the way out of the Lusail stadium and in line for the metro, they chanted and shouted the names of Lionel Messi, Emiliano Martínez and Nicolás Otamendi. Those who most came out in defense of the team’s behavior on the field.

“I felt offended by Van Gaal and his pre-match comments. Some of their players said too much,” complained Messi. He also mocked the fact that the Dutchman was considered a representative of beautiful football and spent the second half with his attack launching balloons into the area in search of headers.

Attracting enmity and hostility to gain inner strength is an old Maradonian tactic. Defender Oscar Ruggeri remembers that, when the team eliminated Yugoslavia in the quarterfinals of 1990, Maradona warned him to pay attention to the mess he would make next.

In the interview that followed, the first before the semifinal against Italy, owner of the house, the number 10 asked that the Argentine anthem not be booed.

“The north never really considered the Italian Neapolitans and now they want their support for the Italy team,” he added.

Maradona was an idol, owner and lord of Napoli. He didn’t miss the chance to also point out that when his team played in Turin, Milan and Verona, local fans hung banners saying that Neapolitans should “wash themselves”.

Argentina’s anthem was not hostile and the South Americans qualified on penalties.

The 2022 team is closed in on itself and among its supporters because it will face Croatia, its tormentor in the 2018 group stage, in Russia. The 3-0 defeat almost eliminated the team early.

In case of victory this Tuesday, there is the potential confrontation with France in the decision. A Messi x Mbappé that would be a generational duel.

Lionel increasingly assumes the role of the irascible Argentine captain. Something he never wanted to embody in the past, but where he now feels comfortable. More than that, he identifies with the country’s fan by doing this.

Some of them, on the way out of Lusail, saw the magic pass from the number 10 to Molina to score the first goal against the Dutch. But they also watched the confusions of the game, the “que mirás, silly?” and the striker celebrating his goal by looking defiantly at van Gaal, hands clasped behind his ears.

It was a gesture of pure symbology.

It was Messi responding to the coach who in the past said that he alone did not win titles and mocked the title of “best player in the world” that they had given to the Argentine. Lionel’s gesture was reminiscent of Topo Giggio, a children’s cartoon character with big ears.

Juan Román Riquelme did it for Boca Juniors and River Plate, in 2001, when he scored a goal and celebrated in front of the club’s representative and future president of Argentina, Maurício Macri. It was a fight over contract renewal, but it went down in history.

But there is Van Gaal’s part in this mess. The Dutchman didn’t give Riquelme many chances in 2002 when they were both at Barcelona.

“When you have the ball, you’re the best on our team. But when you don’t, it’s like we’re playing with one less”, despaired the coach, believing that the genius of Riquelme, one of the greatest of his generation, it wasn’t enough if there wasn’t tactical delivery in the marking.

Ángel Di María also hates Van Gaal for the time they shared together at Manchester United between 2015 and 2016.

The refereeing in the Cup also made the climate warmer and increased everyone’s feelings against Argentina.

“The referee wanted them to [a Holanda] tie. We won only because we had passion and heart. As Spain was eliminated, they want to eliminate us too”, accused Emiliano Martínez, referring to the nationality of referee Mateo Lahoz, who officiated in the quarterfinals.

On Saturday (10th), after being eliminated by Morocco, the Portuguese-Brazilian Pepe fired in a conspiracy theory tone. “Of the 8 or 9 referees we had here today in the game, 5 are Argentine. I could be very wrong, but I have a lot of experience with this. I can say that they will give the title to Argentina.”

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