An albiceleste tide in Atlanta
The Argentine fans were once again the protagonist. In the World Cup semi-final, the Albiceleste fans made the Mercedes-Benz Stadium a piece of Buenos Aires. They sang without pause and encouraged their team during the 90 minutes.
At 85′, Enzo Fernández equalized after a pass from Lionel Messi. The reaction was immediate: water, glasses and bottles flew from the stands. Then Lautaro Martínez scored 2-1 over England. The celebration extended well beyond the final whistle.
Messi, Fernández and other players walked around the field shirtless, soaked in the festive atmosphere. Nobody wanted to leave. Scaloni, on the verge of tears, declared:
“We are unique, really, and it’s not arrogance, eh? It’s heart. These people today led us to win the game, so I’m grateful.”
Until the security personnel guided the fans towards the exits, the fervor did not stop.
Passion that transcends
Gastón Reinoso, an Argentine resident in Houston, traveled to Atlanta for the game. He explained:
“It is very difficult to explain the passion. When you are Argentine, you feel football as a religion. This can be everything. People forget about religion, politics, everything. Everyone is united.”
Argentina has not had a brilliant start to the tournament, but the fans never wavered. The team repeated the comeback it had already achieved against Egypt on July 7. On this occasion, two goals in the final minutes sealed the pass.
When the water fell from the stands, Reinoso experienced it as “a spray from God, from the sky. I started to cry.”
Now, Sunday’s final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, against Spain. Without a doubt, the stands will be dyed blue and white again.
