Euphoria in Buenos Aires
Tens of thousands of fans flooded the center of Buenos Aires after Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England, which qualified the team for the World Cup final. The chants against the historical rival echoed in the Obelisk.
“And you see, and you see, he who doesn’t jump is an Englishman,” they chanted incessantly.
The victory evoked the memory of Mexico 1986, when Diego Maradona scored two legendary goals against the same rival, four years after the Malvinas war. For many, the game symbolizes more than the sport.
“For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last,” was heard among the crowd.
People cried, sang and hugged each other in the winter rain. Young people climbed light poles with light blue and white flags. Actress Rosana Beto Cruz, a 48-year-old nun, celebrated among strangers: “The national team achieved this. A World Cup makes this happen.”
The match was decided in added time with a goal from Lautaro Martínez, after the equalizer from Enzo Fernández. Argentina, the current champion, will face Spain on Sunday.
Politics and mixed feelings
President Javier Milei declared that he experienced the victory with “immense joy” and that he always trusted in the comeback. He offered the Casa Rosada to celebrate if the team wins the title. However, he asked not to mix matters: “The Malvinas are recovered with wise diplomacy, not with cheap patriotism.”
Hours before, Vice President Victoria Villarruel had written on social networks that Argentina was playing “against the usurping pirates”, fueling the controversy. After the match, players like Giovani Lo Celso showed a banner with the phrase “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, which could lead to sanctions from FIFA.
For many fans, the victory had a special flavor due to the historical rivalry. Yanina Quinteros, 40, celebrated with her daughter: “This is more exciting because of the rivalry with England.” María Bertero, also 40, remembered the war: “My heart still hurts for all those boys who were sent to die.”
The figure of Lionel Messi, 39, shone again. Matías Adorno, wearing the captain’s shirt, expressed: “Seeing Messi play like this, at his age, leaves me speechless.”
The celebrations offered a collective respite amid the economic crisis and political polarization. “Today we are all together,” Quinteros summarized.
