On this day in 1978, Argentina went on to win their first ever FIFA World Cup.
It was a tournament filled with controversy but the final saw hosts Argentina vs. Netherlands in the final at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. It was the Dutch’s second consecutive final after having lost in the final to Germany four years prior.
Daniel Passarella was the captain of the team and lifted the trophy but it was Mario Kempes pulling the strings and scoring the goals up front. With the score 0-0, Mario Kempes would receive the ball on the edge of the penalty area and drag it forward before rolling it passed the goalkeeper and giving his country the 1-0 lead in the World Cup final.
Just eight minutes from time, Nanninga would draw the Netherlands level, scoring a header from inside the penalty area to take the match to extra time. The additional 30 minutes would see two more goals, both scored by Argentina.
Mario Kempes would be the star man once more. A great individual goal as he would skip passed the Dutch back line and while his initial shot was saved, Kempes would score the rebound to once more give Argentina the lead.
From there, Daniel Bertoni would double score Argentina’s third of the match following what was possibly a lucky one-two inside the penalty area.
Argentina would lift the trophy for the first time, the only time on home soil with Mario Kempes finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals.
Yes, cox4, my friend! U said it again so nicely and in very beautiful and also very importantly as well in your latest reply for which i’m really gratefull once again!
So here it is again why i do know in my heart allready before i have ever even seen u and like u said, maybe we will meet or maybe not, but i can quarentee u that my kids love Argentina allready very much and when time goes past their passion will grow even more no matter of results really, because they are wise enough allready to understand about past history and what has happened to your country and they too are very emotional so i quess it must be somekind of an issue in our family line, lol!
Because before my son started his school career they did kind of check from the school Doctor as they do in my country for everyone or i mean for every kid who starts school and also continue afterwords, but when i went to see the his school doctor i thought that i would be going in and talking with the Doctor, but that was not the case instead they told me to wait and sit down and went in to doctor’s room without me which i did not really liked because i allways try to stay close to my kids every single a day of my life and i got bit nervous, maybe, but not really in a bad way or with some stupid thoughts in my head, but i was just more curious of what would be the outcome of this and how much would the Doctor tell me about his conversation with my son, but i got blown away when they came out and the Doctor asked me that if he could talk to me personally about my son and at that point offcourse the first thing which went through my Mind was that maybe there is something wrong that i have not figure out yet by myself, but luckily that was not the case so instead he asked if i have had emotional kind relatives in my family and offcourse i told him about my dad and also that me too that i’m quite emotional Person also and then he smiled at me and told me that i’m really lucky to have such a emotional son which i allready knew myself because he allways think firstly for others than for himself and sometimes or many times he surprises me about the way of saying and talking about different things like he allways want’s to help others and wishes for world peace and for better and cleaner air for everyone to breathe or those who might not have enough food to eat or clean water to drink or just basicly more for greener planet and good enviroment for all the plants and for all the animals, but specially for all the people around the world so when the Doctor started to tell me all this that i knew allready from him it made very happy father when the Doctor told me that he have never ever met anyone at this age who are so emotional and caring for others! Exactly like u, my friend! Because again u said something so important and very beautifullly and wisely too! Which ihan to copy paste from your last post to post it again in here:
Cox4 wondefull words: we are far in km distance with you and the rest of my friends here BUT that doesn t matter so much for me because the important is to be close in hearts.
Yes, my friend this so true! And also this :
Cox4 again bringing very important Message not only to me, but for all members of this site who loves and have that certain passion for our beloved Albiceleste! :
Maybe one day we will meet maybe not. God knows. what i know for sure is that i am proud for people like you and i am sure you will teach your kids to love Argentina too.
You people are the biggest and the most valuable embassyes of Argentina around the world. Best regards and may God bless you and your family.
So thank u so much again, my friend! U are not only making me a very happy Person,but also this is very important for the future of Argentina, Ceausescun i do belive that things can change in the world and the world can come to a better place for all of us if we just are willing to help each other out in way or another even if it would only be a single thought or wish of someone or anyone! Offcourse if we really want to help things to get better then wemust participate with it the way or another, but the sooner it hapoen’s the better it get’s for everyone! And offcourse Diego and Messi or Ginobili or any other great Argentine Person whether it comes down to sports or to something else helps world to regonize and it’s citizens to understand Argentina and the situation what the country is dealing with and has been dealing with allready for quite sometime after ” the economical Crisis ” for example and this thing is for sure Connected the way or another to our beloved Albiceleste! And making things difficult in every aspect for Albiceleste and for the whole country of Argentina! Solet’s pray and wish for better future! Stay well my friend and also god bless all your family too and your whole country and offcourse our beloved Albiceleste! Best regards Ricky
The best way for Luka Romero to show his talent is the World Cup u20 2023 where he will be 18-19 years old by then. Most Argentina great talents are born from there. We are talking about Riquelme, Aimar, D’Alessandro, Saviola, Samuel, Di Maria, Messi, Aguero, and the most famous one was Diego Armando Maradona in 1979.
Some failed to be the champ like Angel Correa or Erik Lamela era but we can’t always win the tournaments, can we?
Luka should represent us in 2023 and let’s see if he can recapture the glory.
Anyway don’t think he is more like Xavi though, Xavi even in his wildest wet dream would never score 230 goals in 108 matches like Luka.
he plays in similar position as xavi.. xavi vision was superior.. luka has good ball control and trikery.. luka is not messi … it is true messi was fast.. if you watch messi play he was like goal directed motivation that makes messi fast… but luka is in the middle he is something like trying to learning play making game from the middle and trying to finding the superior vision like xavi … if he improved from the middle it could provide space for messi .. and messi is superior in making goals… this is help he is not finding in after xavi and iniesta leave..
locelso doing some of that in national team…
it is true romero ideal time is 2023.. but then messi won’t be there alongside of romero.. so if romero atleast get 30+ game time it could boost his playing level atleast 60% .. which is much needed from the middle…. and i bet it will provide much more space for messi and atleast reduce one player blockage from messi play.. he is trying to developing vision which is very good things …
[…] Credit mundoalbiceleste.com […]
I will comment up here because there is a lot to scroll through so that people can see but something I would like to say is that it makes me so happy to use this site because there are people from so many different countries all over the world that love Argentina and our football and that is a source of immense pride. I will give a little of my story. I was born in the US but am half Argentinian and as a result I speak Spanish and love fútbol. I have been to Argentina several times in my life to see family and visit. I have also been to Uruguay a couple of times and from what I’ve seen I can understand why many call it and Argentina a love hate relationship. It pains me greatly to see the economic situation in Argentina and I pray it gets better. Ironically I am half German (through my Argentinian side) so 1/4 in total and also I am basque on the other half so again 1/4. Then on the other side I have a crazy mix ranging from French to Swiss to Swedish. That being said I am a crazy mix of ethnicities and cultures but when it comes to my personal culture as an individual it is a mix of American and Argentinian. I like to think that being Argentinian negates the “bad” parts of being American — like not knowing that Africa is a continent or eating fast food at dinner for five minutes haha (nobody get offended I still love the US). I love maté, futbol, Argentinian food, and more that makes me Argentinian. But that is enough rambling let’s get to football. Being part German I will obviously support them against England (I also really want to see England out) but when it comes to my full support I am 100% for Argentina. I do not care that I am part German when it comes to the two finals we lost against them. I do not even really care for the German national team, or the American, Spanish, etc teams. In fact I want Italy to win the Euros. That is because I appreciate Argentina for being the reason I love futbol and the country that gave me that love and passion. If I was full American I would not care for football most likely. I was there in 2014 in the middle of Buenos Aires and when we beat the Netherlands on penalties and it was one of the best experiences of my life, preceded by one of the worst. It is something so unique I feel sorry for those albiceleste fans that will never get to be there when there is a game but I respect those fans nonetheless. If Argentina ever are on a good year where we might win it I will either save up as much of my money to go there or see if I can attend the world cup in person although that is more difficult depending on where it is. I will most likely try to attend the 2026 in person since it is in North America and if the 2030 one is in Argentina and Uruguay (so help us God) I will as well. If we win it in 2030 in Argentina that would be so so great. Anyway thank you cox, waveride, and ricky villa for sharing your stories and thank you mundo Albiceleste because while I have always been an Argentina fan I would not know as much about our fútbol if it were not for this site and I have learned a lot.
my friend always exited and happy to read posts from you. especially this kind of posts.
i am from Cordoba born and raised. i have never go to U.S but i loved and supported San antonio spurs because of Manu Ginobili. Generación Dorada make me fan of basketball too in 2002 ha ha. anyway i have traveled in Europe only. i have been in Spain , in Italy, in Greece , in Turkey, in Czech republic and in island of Cyprus. in the last i am spending anymore from 2016 big part of my life because financial crisis back home.when i am not back home i live in Cyprus. in Euros i support Spain. i don t have special love or effection to them. just if i have to support somebody in Euros i feel more close to them than other country. i am Argentinian from Spanish ancestory. not Italian. that is why probably.
anyway. i hope one day you see live the national team playing in a world cup.
i haven t too. in 1978 i wasn t born and financially i couldn t afford to travel till now in one other world cup to see national team play.
As about 2030 i don t want we host the world cup honestly. it will kill our economy. Already we have long crisis and financial problems. we don t need host world cup.
When I searched Argentina history
The population of Argentine origin
55% Italian second largest are Spanish
17% French and 8% are descended from Germany. I guess there some Arab origin aswell mainly from
Lebanon and Syria and some Jewish too
Yes you are correct my friend in everything you write up.
If you interested to learn one famous Argentine from Arab origin was
Mohamed Alí Seineldín.
Thank you cox. I know what basketball team you are talking about it is amazing that Argentina beat the USA for the olympics. I also support Spain in one-off games because of my blood and their similarity to Argentina, but like you have no real passion for them like Argentina. What you say about hosting the world cup is an important perspective that I did not consider. I hope Argentina is able to host it one day without causing economic problems. May I ask – how did you learn the English language? Was it in school or as an adult?
it was from school. My father was insisted i learn English when i was kid. Now that i grow up i understand him and how correct he was. i am thankful to him.
Nice. My Argentinian family also would learn English in school while I speak it naturally. And Godin I am a little split on the Spainish Italian situation because on one hand most Argentinians have Spanish last names although most genetic reports that I have seen show them to be fairly equal (spanish and italian origin in Argentina). There is also a fairly significant amount of native blood as well although usually mixed with European blood and always with European last names. That is where customs like drinking maté come from. It is an interesting topic.
Well written Olive! Thumbs up for sharing your story in this site and i also hope for German’s to beat ” East indian Company” or should i say the mighty british empire perhaps anyway i’m just kind of joking so no offense against anyone supporting England though i will never support them in any circumstances and this goes way beyond the rivalry with my beloved Albiceleste! And actually i have just calm my nerveous a bit down after Italy finally scored twice on extra time against Austrian’s who i have admit that played their best game so far in the Euro’s and Italy as my favourite along with Dane’s did’nt look that impressive like in the group games and viceversus for Austrian’s who were not so far to go all the way to penalties with Italy, but one really good safe from DonnaRumma on the extra time before the Austrian’s scored quite amazing goal from very crazy position a diving header allmost from the ground level beat and surprised the whole Italian team totally at the front post, but luckily in the end Italy won and offcourse on extra time they could have killed that game before the Austrian’s scored etc…
What comes to a basketball Ginobili been allways my favourite player even there are many great U.S born basket ball players through the history of basketball and no doubt NBA is greatest league in Basket Ball with the greatest players too etc..
but honestly for me it is allways Argentina first even before my own country Finland and it doesn’t matter if it is basketball or handball or whatever sport’s so when it come’s to big tournament like WC, Copa or Olympics whether is our senior men or Women’s team or youth’s playing in different tournament’s it somehow Still doesn’t change for me maybe only then when we are talking about winter sports then obviously i will support my own country Finland first, but i also look allways for good individual or team effort’s in every sport so in Cricket for example i allways wish against the English whether it is Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, South Africa, India or Pakistan or even i rather hope for Bangladesh and Afganistan to beat the ” East Indian Company” etc… i think this offcourse about the rivalry between my beloved Albiceleste and England, but also i look back in to history etc… And i won’t Mind for the young Spanish team to finally click and TaKe that crucial last step to win the Euro’s with Luis Enrique, but i quess we will just have to wait for it and wish for our wishes to come true and by this i mean that anyone offcourse is aloud to wish for anyone and so on, but one thing about the Euro’s is that now there are so many team’s than before there used to be so that is why i would like highlight the point when Greece won Portugal at Euro’s Final on Portugal’s homesoil, because before the tournament no one really expected it and i think also our Friend Waweride must have been before the tournament at least not to consider The Mighty Greeks to win it all and specially against Portugal on their homesoil, wow that’s quite amazing achievement in history of the Euros as it was one the best moment’s for Argentina to beat U.S in basketball ofccourse the comparison is not the same and can’t never be the same, but morely i mean that anything is allways possible in the sports and that is why we must never let down to supporting our Beloved Albiceleste! Best Regards and all the best generally in life for u Olive and thank u for mentiong my story as i have to thank u also for mentioning cox4’s story and Waweride’s too and everyone else’s stotories too and about their passion and constant support for Albiceleste!
luka romero is not messi,, he don’t occupy as like as messi position.. but his playing style similar to messi as per the eye vision.. messi buildup was goalscoring machine.. but romero is different kind of player he is central midfielder similar to xavi hernandes .. i see him similar to xavi role with messi calibre of talents or similar to his style of ball movement… no matter who says what messi passed 5/6 defenders or blah blah blah .. football has improved from that place… i can see the try in romero to improve his vision in his positional play… he can carry the ball from the down where sometimes messi goes down.. romero can be compete with xavi
I would not say he is like Xavi although I would love him to be but he is more like Ineasta though. I have high hope for him and hopefully he can breakthrough into Qatar Sqaud
only things i hope he gets 25+ matches game time before worldcup…he lacks experience this worldcup is messi last world cup.. if he has understanding or bonding with messi atleast 50% which could be nightmare for opponents.
Well I wake up and now there is a crazy fervor for Luka Romero. I hope everyone realizes that while he is very talented he is not cut for the world cup or top level yet at all. He had limited minutes in the second division and will probably not have much more in the first. The only argument I can see supporting that which I have thought of is that Italy’s coach Mancini did call up some players before they played in the top flight such as Zaniolo before playing ever in Seria A, and it has been hailed as genius on his part. We will see I guess but Argentina in my opinion does not have much room in their squad to do this. Buendia for instance is much higher on the pecking order in terms of a debut than Romero. I agree with Cox that it is better to refer to these players as the “third one”. For instance Messi “technically” is the next Maradona and apart from a trophy with Argentina has justified being in the same conversation as Maradona. Yet, nobody calls him the next Maradona everyone calls him Messi. My point is that if a player is good enough to be a Messi or Maradona that means that they aren’t referred to as Messi or Maradona. When I hear “next Messi” being used on players like Almada I instantly know they will not be the next Messi. Both M’s are referred to as a reference point because of just how alien their football talent is and if the next Messi is real he will be good enough to get his own namesake. Luka Romero is not that level
Defensively solid Argentina is huge positive in Copa 2021, even ESPN FC praised different Argentina approach. Apart from Brazil no team threat us and Argentina wining trophy after long 28 year draught beating Brazil will be the best long wait gift for all Argentina supporters all over the world.
Hmmm.. I think I’ve seen that ugly heart somewhere. The irony is nobody loves you not here or in real life or else you wouldn’t have the w word (which is banned on here thank goodness) as your only source of it
messi should left his legacy to l.romero in international football this is his last time for worldcup… l.romero don’t occupy in messi possition… but they are similar..
scaloni should insearch of new talents in defence… the things argentine coach should do … baundia should introduce in play and have to look up for new defender…
with acuna and molina .. wingbacks are decent..
there is two more quality wingbacks need so angileeri sould be tested
messi should started understanding with l.romero ..
i’m personally like lisandro martines but he is not used in this copa .. it is little surprising for me..
paredes is too much static slow.. his pass may worldclass but we know how much irritating when his performance becomes so low .. scaloni need to take bold decision in many position
Ur funny. Looks like you never watched young messi play. He is nowhere near messi in talent. I was watching some clips in YouTube didn’t get what the hype is all about?? Yes he maybe a good midfield player bt not a generational talent like messi, maradona, pele or garincha. In young age messi used to dribble past 5-6 defenders regularly and haven’t seen that from this guy. Dont be too optimistic he is no messi actually kubo are more similar to messi than romero and kubo also not a great player
i saw messi play from olympique and i saw his early play too… before messi there was no messi..so there was no strategic thinking how to stop messi same goes to before maradona there was no maradona.. but tacticallay football has improved individual talents rises scientefically more… you judge talents based on 5-6 defenders passed and i don’t know what do you mean by that measurment and romero i saw he has been block three or 4 players like the way messi is beign blocked occasionally and he has caliber of talents who handle things very nicely … messi position and romero position isn’t the same …. i see romero more like a xavi … who can playmake the game and can create space for messi.. i
luka romero is huge talents for argentina… but the problem is management of argentina talents .. luka romero should be choosen for olympique… he needs playing in senior level.. more he plays more he is going to be good bcs his talents not hidden…
messi is not going to play like his old time as 20+years boy with pace speed etc etc.. it can be seen in messi play… everyone knows who is messi… and how much he bear in the team..
and if you have two messi in the same team.. one is inexperienced young but with lot of pace… and another is experienced but slow .. can you imagine how much dangerous that team could be … if the chemistry triggers well…
if messi wants to win 2022 worldcup despite romero age and experience he should be given chance to play olympique … and call up for friendlies …
————–alario
nicogon — (l.romero) —- (messi dimaria)
locelso ——————Rdp/baundia
this is my must frontline players… dimaria is very effective in rightwings and attackingmiddle in exchange with messi ….
i hope L.romero atleast play 20+ game before world cup in club level.. and scalon should call her after copa and introduce with messi…
presence of messi … l.romero may brings air power in reduction..
this is why alario and nicogon is so much effective in frontline..
argentina has emmence number of talents but management is not so well
Unnecessary hype on luka romero. Let the boy settle in. Last season in spain 2nd division, he played 100mins in all for mallorca. Talent he is for sure. But too early to see where he will reach.
big talents needs early playing time to settle in experienced level football.. it is not hype .. it is the nesessity of playing time chemistry and understanding necessity of players… how quickly cristian romero adapt to this team bcs he brings has that kind of talents.. and defender needs to watch more playing time to understand they are secured to use.. they will not hype or bring danger… but incase of attackers it don’t need watch big or for lengthy time.. bcs they are inventive and don’t occupy in defensive possition
Christian Romero played 104 matches in club football before getting a chance for Argentina and luca romero played 3 games in 2nd division ur reasoning is illogical. Let me tell you he is no messi. If he is so talented why would no big club interested in him??
for a defender 104 matches is not enough to select him as your main defender… it is position where is no place of error … so for adapting defence needs little long watch .. but romero adapt in both club level and national team both comes in early .. he was performing good after loan out from juventus ..
but attackers don’t need to watch for lengthy time.. because there main duty is inventive play … they can be introduces as early as can be … i’m not saying L.romero going to overgrade messi,, i’m saying he is talents who can learn from messi ,and with some 20/30+ game play can unfold his starting place of class potential … l.romero can’t equal with messi,, as messi is messi and his achievment is messi…
who said big clubs don’t interested in him . search in internet before say barca already made approach research it before talk
1.
nicogon– messi/dimaria dimaria/messi
loceslo — guido — Rdp/baundia
acuna–otamendi–romero–molina
———–emi
2.
———–alario
nicogon— messi
——— l.romero—
acuna————– R.dp
———-guido——–
–senesi–lisandro–romero
———- emi
3.
———aguero——
nicogon———messi
gomes–pardes—Rdp
acuna–senesi–romero–molina
———emi
I don’t understand why Argentine young players don’t get the attention of reputed europian clubs. Just have a look at Rodrigo or vinicious junior, what the hell they have done for real, still these so called big europian clubs always pay attention to these shitty Brazilians. Manuel locateli is a good player, but big europian clubs are chasing him after scoring 2 goals for Italy. It’s very insulting for our Argentinian tallents that they always get over looked by europian clubs. Last year only NAHUEL MOLINA came to Udinese. It’s very irritating that players like ALAN FRANCO, EZEQUIEL BARCO are playing in MLS.
Brazil isn’t wining 2021 Copa and France not wining 2021 Euro. Argentina has golden chance to win Copa this time considering CONMEBOL team quality decreases badly in last couple of years. Belgium has maximum chance wining Euro 2021 and Germany/Nederland having best chance reaching final considering easy bracket.
Back again romance king hhhhh
Ya volvio el pelotudo!
Luka Romero is a great talent, one more proof justifying the neverending wealth of talent that Argentina can give to world football! But i am 100% with my friend Cox4, Romero is Romero, we should never compaire any of our talents with the two all time greatest, Diego and Lio. Let them with the GRACE OF GOD make their own legacy.
I would like to see new talents with similar style to Caniggia and Bati though!
Possible line upvs Boli
Lautaro
Papu Dmaria
Domingz Palacios /A.correa Guido
Acuna L.martins
Pezella Otamendi
Armani
Luka Romero on the verge of signing for Lazio in a few days. I think this is good news for both him and argentina
https://www.italy24news.com/sports/news/53057.html
After Maradona; Ortega, Gallardo, Aimar, Ibagaza, D’Alessandro were dubbed the new Maradona before Messi finally came.
Now after Messi; Dybala, Iturbe, Barco, Garre were at least compared to Messi. But this dude Luka Romero is the most similar to Messi. Let’s hope he will end up better than other “new Messi”.
Note: The dude scores 230 goals in 108 matches in junior level.
with all the respect i prefer to say the “third one” will come.
Not “new Messi” or “new Maradona”.
as i am saying to my friends in my dayly life that have the sadness of Messi retirment. God give us DIEGO. after he send us LEO. we should be patient and wait God send us the third one.
@cox4 yes mate i always sad that who will be after messi to search that i always go through age group games thiago almada i thought he has the callibare but no no
With mbappe haland we need our next big thing
I’m sure he’ll do well. He’s already extremely talented. With hard work, perseverance and a little luck he’ll be a world beater very very soon. Argentina national team will be waiting for you boy
Please guys let Luka Romero be Luka Romero. Stop that nonsense comparison with Messi. Give him a chance. It’s a very promising player, give time to breathe, to enjoy himself, to develop. Messi is already Messi no one I say no one can be like him. If we want Luka Romero to be the player that we want we have to help him develop but not overload him with that Messi load….
Yaa i was very disappointed he is not picked for urgentina u23
Now i got a fear that he may choose Mexico
What about other highly talented players like Pavon, Barco, Bustos? Forget doing great; they are nowhere near Europe.
France, Argentina and Spain are Germany’s biggest rivals – NOT England, claims Dietmar Hamann… as he dismisses Three Lions ahead of Euro 2020 showdown because of their failures on the biggest stage
Hamann also claimed Argentina are bigger rivals because they challenge at big tournaments
Former Germany midfielder Hamann was scathing of England’s major tournament record
I feel like that’s more 1 sided rivalry. Sure we have played Germany in big matches but bigger rivals are Brazil (hate), Chile (hate), Uruguay (love + hate), and England (hate). I personally have respect for Germany, as do many Argentines i know, and its just not same when we play against Brazil or the others i’ve listed.
Cox4, who would you say are Argentinas biggest rivals?
I don’t hate Germany bro I admire thier mental toughness unfortunately they made me sad few times due wrong decision from Argentina managers.
Don’t worry about England and thier overrated players
my friend. i see your point. both you are right in my eyes because in reality in sports level Brasil ,Uruguay and Germany is our rivals but it is not same with Chile and England. it is beyond sports or football about them. The sports part came after as result of politic part. this is the difference.
about Germans i was hated them in my youngness. Now i don t hate them. i just don t like them at all.
[…] Source link […]
Thanks to El Flaco Cesar Menotti and Mario Kempes. Rene Houseman, Ardilles, Pasarella, Tarantini, GK Fillol; Daniel Bertoni plus all others.
First trophy WC for Arg ! what a moment
Possible line up against Bolivia
According to Ole
4-3-3
DiMaria/Gonzalez, Aguero, Messi
Palacios, DePaul
G.Rodriguez
Acuna,pezella,otamendi, Molina
Martinez
Licha martinez instead of pezella.
Was the distance between the posts smaller in that time?
https://theathletic.com/2664164/2021/06/24/new-spurs-manager-must-unlock-lo-celsos-undoubted-talent/
Its behind a paywall. if its not too long and too much trouble, can you please copy paste article here?
@Choripan
Late last Saturday night, two old rivals rattled around in an empty stadium in Brasilia.
Guido Rodriguez scored the only goal of a dull game, as Argentina jabbed their way to a win over Uruguay, continuing their unbeaten start to the Copa America.
Giovani Lo Celso was a casualty. He limped off after just 48 minutes and while his injury is not thought to be serious, it’s badly timed, coming just days after a splendid performance in the opening 1-1 draw with Chile.
That game in Rio de Janeiro saw Lo Celso at his best. The Chileans were admittedly not quite at theirs, but his thrilling mix of drive and craft was much too good for them. He almost created two goals for Lautaro Martinez, he won the free kick from which Lionel Messi scored Argentina’s goal, and in the 68 minutes before being replaced, he played with purpose, poise and imagination — the qualities so often missing from Tottenham Hotspur’s midfield.
Lo Celso at Spurs has been a strange story. Signed by one head coach and then passed on quickly to another, he has produced flashes rather than form and now, two years down the line, is threatening to become another player for the fans to clash over; brilliant to some, injury-prone and erratic to others.
There was, briefly, a consensus. During a run of games towards the end of Jose Mourinho’s 2019-20 debut season, Lo Celso was one of the only true colours in a monochrome side. He had skill and acceleration, but he could also hold that speed, and one of the fonder images of a year best forgotten was his charge down the Turf Moor touchline, beyond and away from a small army of Burnley players, all left shaking their fists.
Mourinho always seemed to be a fan. His own time at Tottenham ended bitterly, but that doesn’t mean that he was always wrong – and he was right in his affection for Lo Celso.
He didn’t take to him immediately and made him fight his way into the side, but once charmed – and whenever available – the Portuguese treated him as key to what he wanted to achieve. Understandably. A quick-breaking player with plenty of skill and who made good decisions on the counter? He was perfect for Mourinho, and Lo Celso was actually one of the few players who was regularly praised during that period. When Tottenham made his loan deal from Real Betis permanent in January 2020, Mourinho was delighted. He said that executing the clause was “an easy decision” and, by last summer, the praise was only growing more effusive.
In July, with the COVID-delayed Premier League heading towards its end, Mourinho was asked to compare Lo Celso to Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, a player Spurs had dallied over signing from Sporting Lisbon the year before.
“I don’t know anything about that, but if that is true, and if Giovani Lo Celso was the player that came to Spurs (instead of Fernandes), then I would say I wouldn’t change Giovani Lo Celso for any player.”
Mourinho was being complimentary. It wasn’t a comparison he drew, nor was it one he was encouraging, but it was a telling moment because that apparently binary relationship between Fernandes and Lo Celso ignores how different the two players are. Fernandes is a goalscorer and creator, Lo Celso is a carrier and a distributor. Each have more to their game than that, of course, and there is some overlap, but there are also significant contrasts.
The history of the Argentinian’s data profile is actually very interesting.
In 2017-18, his statistical Ligue 1 contemporaries were players such as Adrien Rabiot and Houssem Aouar. The year after, following his move to Betis, they were Athletic Bilbao dynamo Iker Muniain, Real Madrid’s Isco and his then-team-mate, Sergio Canales. Twelve months later, in the Premier League, his peers were Mateo Kovacic, Youri Tielemans and Tanguy Ndombele.
He’s chameleon-like. At different times, in different competitions, his output has been similar to the outright playmaker he’s often assumed to be, to the more conservative midfielders who nobody would confuse him with, and to the kind of carry-and-cut midfielder that lurks in between the two and which probably best describes him.
It’s part of the Lo Celso riddle. The obvious reason why he hasn’t yet been a success at Tottenham is that he hasn’t been able to stay fit. The second issue, though, is he has never been properly defined within their system or surrounded by the same players for any length of time. Issue one and two are clearly related but there’s definitely a sense that Spurs don’t quite know what they have and that, two years on, Lo Celso’s career in England remains in the experimental stage.
Mourinho mentioned this too. It was intended as flattery at the time, but it unwittingly describes a problem that predated his appointment and has now outlasted him.
“He can play everywhere. Everywhere,” said Mourinho. “He can play No 10, No 8, double midfield player… He can play on the right side, on the left. He can play everywhere.”
He can. All of those positions. Just not all at the same time.
Before Lo Celso arrived at Tottenham, he had a reputation for being adaptable and for contributing in different ways. He’s been a player of many personalities.
At Rosario Central back home, he was a fun and frivolous No 10, very much the ideal of the Argentinian playmaker. After a 2016 move to Paris Saint-Germain, his scarce minutes often saw him in a deeper position, scavenging tenaciously for the ball, but then using it well and with tremendous accuracy. At Betis, a different costume again. He was either part of a midfield three or an attacking midfield two, and he would borrow from his past depending on which it was in a given game. Pushed high, he’d flick, drive, scheme and score. But dropped deep, he’d pressure, pass and snap the ball through the lines and from side to side.
These changes of face describe a very gifted player. The trouble at Spurs, it seems – beyond the injuries – has been the temptation to use him as broadly as possible. In as much of the pitch and in as many of the phases. That’s likely why he often seems so unrestrained, and possibly also why his best moments are so contrasting.
For instance, any highlight reel from his time in England would be dominated by those long, driving runs, but he’s also this player, seen picking Paul Pogba’s pocket against Manchester United.
Data is not for everybody. In this instance, however, it’s an excellent way of quantifying not just the range of Lo Celso’s actions, but also the volume and the various contrasts. Over the last year, in all competitions and in comparison to players of similar position, he’s is in the 94th percentile for key passes per 90 minutes (1.77) and the 93rd percentile for shot-creating actions (3.54/90).
That’s an enormously valuable return and typical of a modern No 10. But he’s also averaging 25.13 pressures (96th percentile) and 3.4 tackles (94th percentile) per 90, while producing a non-penalty expected goals-plus-assists rating of 0.34 per 90, in the 94th percentile of a list topped by Kevin De Bruyne (0.78). Opaque as some of those terms are, they make a strong point about Lo Celso’s value and his relative worth in certain areas of the pitch.
Prior to his injury, he was playing as part of a midfield three for Argentina, alongside the aggressive Rodrigo De Paul and the combative Rodriguez. That seems a fairly consistent role, but — to date — Tottenham haven’t shown that they understand quite how to package his abilities. Lo Celso started just 15 games in the Premier League and Europa League last season, and did so in five roles. Those were also appearances in a team without any certainty, within which only four players could ever be sure of selection.
So, Lo Celso has joined Spurs at a time when they are tenuous in concept. Little surprise, then, that his best moments have often been spontaneous and reactionary. Once in a while, he has produced something which is the extension of a tactical plan — the goal against Manchester City last November, for instance — but more often he’s been good in quite a random way. With a run, a tackle and burst; a riff, basically.
The challenge is to formalise that value somehow. To manage it and to allow it to flourish without it seeming like it’s coming at the cost of something else.
That’s why part of the conversation around Spurs is likely wrong. They have some pressing needs — a right-back, a centre-half, a head coach — but they also have some extravagantly talented players who they haven’t made anything like the best use of. When they fill these gaps in their side over the coming weeks, then, it should be with that in mind — with the need to create the right conditions at the forefront.
What kind of right-back would give Lo Celso licence to move up and back in the midfield corridor?
What kind of centre-half would equip him with the type of possession he needs from deep?
If he and Ndombele are to exist in the same midfield three, then what deferential protection is needed further forward? Does the Harry Kane/Son Heung-min axis need to be offset by someone more conservative, who can drop and cover space?
If so, is that a player already at the club, or one who needs to be found outside?
It’s a priority, because a midfield of Ndombele, Lo Celso and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg should be the envy of the league. Injuries have got in the way, as have other issues too, but never has that combination even threatened to be entertaining, let alone as effective as it should clearly be.
It’s a conundrum that needs solving, with Lo Celso and his many abilities so central to it that should really be part of the managerial interview process. Like a Rubik’s Cube left in the waiting room to befuddle the weak candidates, perhaps, or one of those lateral-thinking puzzles found in the back of old magazines.
Solve this and everything else should become a lot easier.
Thank you, Zoroaster!
Late last Saturday night, two old rivals rattled around in an empty stadium in Brasilia.
Guido Rodriguez scored the only goal of a dull game, as Argentina jabbed their way to a win over Uruguay, continuing their unbeaten start to the Copa America.
Giovani Lo Celso was a casualty. He limped off after just 48 minutes and while his injury is not thought to be serious, it’s badly timed, coming just days after a splendid performance in the opening 1-1 draw with Chile.
That game in Rio de Janeiro saw Lo Celso at his best. The Chileans were admittedly not quite at theirs, but his thrilling mix of drive and craft was much too good for them. He almost created two goals for Lautaro Martinez, he won the free kick from which Lionel Messi scored Argentina’s goal, and in the 68 minutes before being replaced, he played with purpose, poise and imagination — the qualities so often missing from Tottenham Hotspur’s midfield.
Lo Celso at Spurs has been a strange story. Signed by one head coach and then passed on quickly to another, he has produced flashes rather than form and now, two years down the line, is threatening to become another player for the fans to clash over; brilliant to some, injury-prone and erratic to others.
There was, briefly, a consensus. During a run of games towards the end of Jose Mourinho’s 2019-20 debut season, Lo Celso was one of the only true colours in a monochrome side. He had skill and acceleration, but he could also hold that speed, and one of the fonder images of a year best forgotten was his charge down the Turf Moor touchline, beyond and away from a small army of Burnley players, all left shaking their fists.
Mourinho always seemed to be a fan. His own time at Tottenham ended bitterly, but that doesn’t mean that he was always wrong – and he was right in his affection for Lo Celso.
He didn’t take to him immediately and made him fight his way into the side, but once charmed – and whenever available – the Portuguese treated him as key to what he wanted to achieve. Understandably. A quick-breaking player with plenty of skill and who made good decisions on the counter? He was perfect for Mourinho, and Lo Celso was actually one of the few players who was regularly praised during that period. When Tottenham made his loan deal from Real Betis permanent in January 2020, Mourinho was delighted. He said that executing the clause was “an easy decision” and, by last summer, the praise was only growing more effusive.
Lo Celso has been asked to play many different roles in his two years at Tottenham (Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images)
In July, with the COVID-delayed Premier League heading towards its end, Mourinho was asked to compare Lo Celso to Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, a player Spurs had dallied over signing from Sporting Lisbon the year before.
“I don’t know anything about that, but if that is true, and if Giovani Lo Celso was the player that came to Spurs (instead of Fernandes), then I would say I wouldn’t change Giovani Lo Celso for any player.”
Mourinho was being complimentary. It wasn’t a comparison he drew, nor was it one he was encouraging, but it was a telling moment because that apparently binary relationship between Fernandes and Lo Celso ignores how different the two players are. Fernandes is a goalscorer and creator, Lo Celso is a carrier and a distributor. Each have more to their game than that, of course, and there is some overlap, but there are also significant contrasts.
The history of the Argentinian’s data profile is actually very interesting.
In 2017-18, his statistical Ligue 1 contemporaries were players such as Adrien Rabiot and Houssem Aouar. The year after, following his move to Betis, they were Athletic Bilbao dynamo Iker Muniain, Real Madrid’s Isco and his then-team-mate, Sergio Canales. Twelve months later, in the Premier League, his peers were Mateo Kovacic, Youri Tielemans and Tanguy Ndombele.
He’s chameleon-like. At different times, in different competitions, his output has been similar to the outright playmaker he’s often assumed to be, to the more conservative midfielders who nobody would confuse him with, and to the kind of carry-and-cut midfielder that lurks in between the two and which probably best describes him.
It’s part of the Lo Celso riddle. The obvious reason why he hasn’t yet been a success at Tottenham is that he hasn’t been able to stay fit. The second issue, though, is he has never been properly defined within their system or surrounded by the same players for any length of time. Issue one and two are clearly related but there’s definitely a sense that Spurs don’t quite know what they have and that, two years on, Lo Celso’s career in England remains in the experimental stage.
Mourinho mentioned this too. It was intended as flattery at the time, but it unwittingly describes a problem that predated his appointment and has now outlasted him.
“He can play everywhere. Everywhere,” said Mourinho. “He can play No 10, No 8, double midfield player… He can play on the right side, on the left. He can play everywhere.”
He can. All of those positions. Just not all at the same time.
Before Lo Celso arrived at Tottenham, he had a reputation for being adaptable and for contributing in different ways. He’s been a player of many personalities.
At Rosario Central back home, he was a fun and frivolous No 10, very much the ideal of the Argentinian playmaker. After a 2016 move to Paris Saint-Germain, his scarce minutes often saw him in a deeper position, scavenging tenaciously for the ball, but then using it well and with tremendous accuracy. At Betis, a different costume again. He was either part of a midfield three or an attacking midfield two, and he would borrow from his past depending on which it was in a given game. Pushed high, he’d flick, drive, scheme and score. But dropped deep, he’d pressure, pass and snap the ball through the lines and from side to side.
These changes of face describe a very gifted player. The trouble at Spurs, it seems – beyond the injuries – has been the temptation to use him as broadly as possible. In as much of the pitch and in as many of the phases. That’s likely why he often seems so unrestrained, and possibly also why his best moments are so contrasting.
For instance, any highlight reel from his time in England would be dominated by those long, driving runs, but he’s also this player, seen picking Paul Pogba’s pocket against Manchester United.
He’s also this one, shown getting his hands dirty on the edge of his own box away to Newcastle United.
It’s a sequence that starts with him screening his defence and organising the cover, and ends with him tracking Allan Saint-Maximin across the box and sliding in to snatch the ball away.
The instinct is to want to see him in as many advanced positions as possible, closer to the opposition goal where he can do the most damage — the Betis, Rosario version of Lo Celso — but then he’s also a player who can receive a pass from his defence in this position…
…withstand a high press, and then make a turn, run and pass which takes six defenders out of the game and springs his team onto the counter-attack.
Lo Celso’s signing may have been a response to losses further up the pitch and the anticipated departure of Christian Eriksen, but in his own half he can often resemble another Spurs predecessor, Mousa Dembele. He’s not as physically impressive as the Belgian, but his touches in tight spaces and capacity to pirouette away bear more than a passing likeness.
Data is not for everybody. In this instance, however, it’s an excellent way of quantifying not just the range of Lo Celso’s actions, but also the volume and the various contrasts. Over the last year, in all competitions and in comparison to players of similar position, he’s is in the 94th percentile for key passes per 90 minutes (1.77) and the 93rd percentile for shot-creating actions (3.54/90).
That’s an enormously valuable return and typical of a modern No 10. But he’s also averaging 25.13 pressures (96th percentile) and 3.4 tackles (94th percentile) per 90, while producing a non-penalty expected goals-plus-assists rating of 0.34 per 90, in the 94th percentile of a list topped by Kevin De Bruyne (0.78). Opaque as some of those terms are, they make a strong point about Lo Celso’s value and his relative worth in certain areas of the pitch.
Prior to his injury, he was playing as part of a midfield three for Argentina, alongside the aggressive Rodrigo De Paul and the combative Rodriguez. That seems a fairly consistent role, but — to date — Tottenham haven’t shown that they understand quite how to package his abilities. Lo Celso started just 15 games in the Premier League and Europa League last season, and did so in five roles. Those were also appearances in a team without any certainty, within which only four players could ever be sure of selection.
So, Lo Celso has joined Spurs at a time when they are tenuous in concept. Little surprise, then, that his best moments have often been spontaneous and reactionary. Once in a while, he has produced something which is the extension of a tactical plan — the goal against Manchester City last November, for instance — but more often he’s been good in quite a random way. With a run, a tackle and burst; a riff, basically.
The challenge is to formalise that value somehow. To manage it and to allow it to flourish without it seeming like it’s coming at the cost of something else.
That’s why part of the conversation around Spurs is likely wrong. They have some pressing needs — a right-back, a centre-half, a head coach — but they also have some extravagantly talented players who they haven’t made anything like the best use of. When they fill these gaps in their side over the coming weeks, then, it should be with that in mind — with the need to create the right conditions at the forefront.
What kind of right-back would give Lo Celso licence to move up and back in the midfield corridor?
What kind of centre-half would equip him with the type of possession he needs from deep?
If he and Ndombele are to exist in the same midfield three, then what deferential protection is needed further forward? Does the Harry Kane/Son Heung-min axis need to be offset by someone more conservative, who can drop and cover space?
If so, is that a player already at the club, or one who needs to be found outside?
It’s a priority, because a midfield of Ndombele, Lo Celso and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg should be the envy of the league. Injuries have got in the way, as have other issues too, but never has that combination even threatened to be entertaining, let alone as effective as it should clearly be.
It’s a conundrum that needs solving, with Lo Celso and his many abilities so central to it that should really be part of the managerial interview process. Like a Rubik’s Cube left in the waiting room to befuddle the weak candidates, perhaps, or one of those lateral-thinking puzzles found in the back of old magazines.
Solve this and everything else should become a lot easier.
(Top photo: Wagner Meier/Getty Images)
To be honest Locelso has been disappointing after he moved to Spurs. If I am not mistaken he hasn’t been that good when playing as a midfield player for the national as well. He is far more effective if played closer to the goal. He was outscoring strikers when in Spain but when played as a proper midfield at Spurs he was unfortunately pretty average. Moreover, the deeper he plays the less effective he becomes and add to that his extreme fragile body!!
We need to search for a lo celso replacement. He is too much injury prone. If he gets injured thn what we do?? So we may need to integrate buendia in this group
I dont think hes injury prone. He didn’t really get injured too often prior to Spurs, which might have been his worst. He’s struggled since his return but he is by no means “injury prone”
GLC is easily one of spurs best players before the injury. Mou loved him and fans love him. After his injury though, he’s struggled a lot but he’s not disappointing overall since his move to spurs.
I think he’s easily one the NT most important players and it shows when he’s absent. He’s one of the only players that can hold the ball really well, beat opponents dribbling, super creative passing, and drives the ball forward constantly (plus hes can tackle really well).
Even though he started off as a 10 and killed it at Betis in more advanced, he’s an excellent B2B and quite frankly, that’s what the team needs most. We have enough 10s and forwards, midfield is where games are won and lost and he’s needed there badly.
SulaV
the only thing I have to agree is that he is fragile. Everything else I totally disagree….
With real Striker he would have already three or four assists in this Copa… Also he can score goals and he really performs in the Skyblue…
I think if we play Guido instead of Paredes, Lo Celso has even more free room…
I think I’m starting a big argument, but for me De Paul is in National Team not close to his performance in Udinese…
I know he’s a really fighter in Midfield but in Udinese he is that too but he scores and assists. In Skyblue he has yet to score or assist
Lo celso is our best midfield player by some distance…..with him on the pitch It always feel like that we can create some chances and can dominate midfield area. If only he can stay little bit more fit then we have a world class player at our disposal.
He worked his way into the starting line up at PSG and the parisian papers/press nearly murdered Tuchul and PSG for letting him go.
He was world class at Betis and was in the la liga team of the season.
He had an injury filled first half of the season at Spurs but then during the 2nd half he was their best player.
Sadly last season he missed most of it due to injury and has become an injury prone player than one cannot rely on for more than 3 games straight. I really hope he finds regular fitness because he is a classy midfield that Argentina really needs next year (and this copa).
Thank you, LM10ARG!
i wasn t born yet in 1978.
so they are lucky all those lived and remember our first world cup back then.
May God bless them to live and see our third too.
cox4 June 25, 2021 At 7:11 pm
i wasn t born yet in 1978.
so they are lucky all those lived and remember our first world cup back then.
May God bless them to live and see our third too.
Thank U cox4 even i’m not from Argentina i had allways supported only Argentina with all my passion for them and 1978 was my first WC to watch with my old man who passed away berween the 2014 WC and 2018 WC. He also was a fan Argentina even though i think he kind of allways supported Germany like my Grand Father who only supported Germany even we are not from Germany, but yes in 1978 it was the first time for me and i celebrated it with my old man and offcourse my expectantion like allways as true fan of Argentina and only for Argentina for 1982 was very high, but what happened then it was so brutal to see how they kicked literally the shit out Diego specially in KO’s against Varzil and Italy, but it was kind of funny or strange moment when Argentina faced Germany in 1986 and i had recorded every Argentina game from that WCin Mexico and wahtced the previous games of Argentina team before the final several times and i think my favourite was the semifinal against Belgium and i never forget those 2 magnificent goal’s against one the greatest goalie’s of that who offcourse was Jean-Marie Pfaff if remember his name correctly, but back to final day against the German’s i left home with my dad and put my recorder on to record that great Final game against German’s and went to watch it in to my grand father’s house who was really upset of how the game was developping until the German’s drew the game level and he was so Angry all time to me because of my passion for Argentina so during that game my dad had to tell my grand dad to cool down and not be so Harsh on me and to let me support who i want and offcourse my passion was at the highest peak again like 1978 when Burruchaga finished of the game from one those great passes of Diego himself! And after the game i could see from my dad too even i think he might have preffered in the end or actually prefferred before the game for German’s to win, but on the way home he congratulated me and told me that better team won and i Still remember his smile on his face when he said it to me and after story continued so i have only supported Argentina and my father allways supported Argentina and Germany and allways wished that they will not have to meet until the final and let the better team won which offcourse as we all know very well has not been unfortunatly the story with Argentina in their last Final’s against the German’s even Argentina deserved to win clearly at 2014, it for me personally also in 1990 like so many time’s in Copa’s history too! But unfortunatly life is what is for and many times it is or feet’s like unjustice or unrightfull thing not only in football wise for Argentina but also Economically special after what and how Argentina was and has been trashed and crashed economically which so sad for me Still even i have not witnessed it personally being a Argentine living in Argentina like i think u instead have so all my compassion for u and all of your country for all of those people who have suffered so much from that Economic Crisis when your country was trashed and crashed basicly down to the ground! And offcourse also my compassion is the same for my old man who died way too early specially in the Sense of my kids who did’nt unfortunatly had so many year’s with him lime i had for example with grandfather and he was a kind of great player too and very promising one in our small country and he made all the way to the group of under 22 year’s national team of our country, but unfortunatly his career finished because both his ancles broke and never fully recoverd it from there to play professional football in my country, but he teached and coached me since i was 3 year’s old untilahe of fifteen and was the coach of my team until i woke up in the hospital after huge collision from my last game that i played and after that i couldnt run any more just walk and play with the ball, but that offcourse is not enough to be able to continue of playing football in team so now my kids are from 8-10 and i try remember everything my dad teached and told me about football and try to teach the same things and give them the same knowledge of football like my dad did me and what i have learned after that watching football worldwide and now both of my kids are in the same team and my sin plays for 2013 borned group and my daughter plays for 2011 borned group and they are luckily enjoyng it andhave pretty Ok coaches too, so step by step we are trying to improve their way of playing football and offcourse individual skills too etc… all the best for u and for your country !
Btw. My uncle a little brother of my dad has been married now for i think maybe then year’s to an Argentine Lady who is from Area of Buenos Aires and in my dad’s funeral with talked and shared our moments of joy from 1978 WC and she told me how the whole country went completly insane and had so much passion and joy to be able to win the first WC in Argentina’s football history and specially at her and yours all of Argentine’s people’s home soil! And it was kind of dedication also to my father at his funeral etc.. so i wish all the best for u and for your country and for everyone who’s living thereand also for all the argentine’s living around the world and also for those who support Albiceleste for their life’s ! Best Regards Ricky Villa
Wonderful post Ricky! It is always special for me to read such posts which are connected with our beloved team and our childhood!
We have something in common though! I am from Greece and as you know my country has played Argentina twice, in 1994 and 2010 wcs. I am proud that the greatest ever has scored his last goal with our beloved team against my country! And what a goal it was! One of the greatest team plays i have ever seen, i think it was 5 one touch passes happened so fast that we needed a replay to realise where the ball was! And what a finish from Diego!
When my country played Argentina, i was supporting Argentina and celebrating when they scored against Greece. Everyone was thinking that i am a kind of weirdo or psycho lol and i was lucky that i wasn’t beaten lol! For me it was totally natural as i acted the way i felt and i am a man who believes that we have to act the way our heart says!
Can i ask you something my friend?
Where are you from and your nickname Ricky Villa is refered to our 78 legend and Totenhams legend back then together with Ossie Ardilles?
Hello, Waweride and first of all thank u for your kindness towards me and actually i have followed your and cox4 post’s for quite some time like a many, many year’s allready and i allways liked and offcourse Still like the way u guys write your post’s!
Because, i can see and feel that u guys are really true good hearted people with very inteligent Mind and i’m not only talking now about football, but offcourse i can also see and feel that u are both very true fan’s Albiceleste and i think that i can understand, maybe why? Because i see both u have so much passion for Argentina that goes beyond any team in world and that is the thing which is connecting us! I’m from Finland and all my family are from Finland and living in Finland at least at this moment, but my wife is from Thailand so my kid’s have to passports, but they have been borned in Finland and just been visiting their Family several time’s in Thailand, but my old man’s (who passed away between 2014 WC and 2018 Wc) younger brother who is my uncle has wife from Arhentina who has been borned at in the great area of Buenos Aires so also my brother and father who died some year’s a go both speak and spoke fluent Spanish, because my father lived in Spain for more than then year’s so when he moved to there my brother was Still in High School in Finland, but he chose to follow my dad to a Spain and after less than one year he spoke and allways spoke and Still speaks better Spanish than like my dad did even my dad spoked very well also and lived offcourse more than 10 year’s in Spain, but with all the Spanish bureaucracy my father had to go through even he got panish residence after the first year he allways kind of needed my brother’s help because for some reason my father moved constantly from South of Spain first to Asturias and then to Cantabria and after that to Catalonia and to Barcelona and from there to islas Canarias and from there back to area of Alicante etc.. so in Spain in everywhere they kind of have their own politics or way of living and that is why he had Togon through so much bureaucracy in there which in the was quite funny at sometime’s and also kind hilarious at some stage, but his biggest dream was allways to move to Argentina and Uruguay which was his third preffered country in football wise and which the second for me only if Argentina don’t have success. So i’m so happy to hear from your great experience in Greece seeing your own country playing against Great Argentina team and i’m so proud of you and also a bit Jealous that u been able to witnees such a great moment for your life and i’m very happy for u to been able to witnees that great moment in your life and i can kind of imagine how the other Greek supporters felt when they saw your natural way of act and cheering Argentina straight from your heart which only come’s naturally like u said and i wonder how on earth u can Still be alive after the other Greek supporters saw your emotion and passion for Argentina, but i think i do know the answer or it is just an feeling of mine that simply that day when u allmost got beaten maybe even to death was not so far away, but in the end it never luckily came close to enough towards u because u are simply too good hearted Person to die during at such a great moment of your life, so thanks god everything went well for u and that u saw and witnessed in live at the great stadium of Greece Diego’s last goal for Albiceleste, wow what a moment that has been and i can’t never unfortunatly even to try imagine how u felt at that moment even i can feel your great passion for Albiceleste, but i’m really happy to hear from it! It is actually the first time i have heard someting like this or at least from Diego’s great era with Albiceleste and i think once i have heard that some of the members of Mundo Albiceleste been at stadium in 1978 final, and if i remember right it might have been San Isidro or someone else who i quess must be from Argentina.
And Yes u know more than well that my nick name Ricky Villa is offcourse from Ricky Villa himself and because of he was on the 1978 team as well together with Ardiles, Kempes, Bertoni, Fillol, Houseman, Luque, Passarella, Tarantini etc… god bless all the players from that team and Offcourse Diego himself who allmost made it to that team! And during that time Ricky Villa was Still Racing’s player until he moved to Spurs like Ardiles did and offcourse Ricky Villa scored that goal which won the FA Cup for Spurs and was very respected player like Ardiles for all the Spur’s supporter’s so it just happened for me that my oldman was fan of Germany, but also fan of Argentina and Uruguay and allways supported Spurs in England so he was the one who gave me my nick name allready when i was very young, but luckily for me old enough to be able to watch Argentina and Passarella to left that first WC trophy on their home soil vai television obviously like i have done til’ now so i have never had such a great experience like u have had for example when u witnessed that great team and that great moment in your life and in your own country as well, wow that has be someting more than special…i dont know what to say really and i’m kind speecless when i even try think about it! I wish that one day i will see Leo to play with Albiceleste or even to see Albiceleste play live in front of me and my kids would be a great moment that i wish to happen, maybe one day and i would for sure dedication that moment to all the players from Albiceleste team that i have been able to seen playing in Albiceleste shirt and offcourse to my old man who basicly teached me not only for school,but also he gave me all that knowledge of football what he had learned and watched for so many year’s and i think from there it really sparked me to my passion towards our beloved Albiceleste! I wish u and for your country too all the best for the better future, because it so sad for me that kind similar story to happen to Greece in way or another than happened to Argentina economically wise, so if u one day will happen to arrive in Finland then, please let me hear it so i can welcome u to our country and host u if u want or bring u around to beautifull site’s of Finland’s nature and i think one day i will be back Greece as i been there when i was a kid with my grandparent’s on holiday trip which was completly different to my experience landing on my own to Athen’s and took the train all the way up to the Thessaloniki and from there i continued to an very beautiful area to very close to Macedonian border, but stayed in Greek side of it and it was one of the best things for me to happen at it was the year before the solar eclipse in 1998 when i was in Hungary’s country side also in a very beautifull place, but offcourse different than that special place in north Greece where the nearest small Village was a, maybe 5
-7 kilometers away from my my camp which i shared with some friends of mine from all over the globe and few month’s before i had been in similar kind camp with most of same friends and others as well from all over the globe in, maybe 50-100 miles max from South-east of Glasgow at the very old celtic sacred place in the Scotish mountains which ones were higher than Himalaya’s and some of the parts of that movie called Brave Heart has been filmed in there even i dont kind favor that film that much neither do i have nothing against it, but the intresting thing was that i net an old Scotish Historian there who actuallu liked near by and i stayed as his quest in beautiful house for maybe an week and he told me a lot about the history and the origin of that place and i clearly remember him mentioning a ” Blue Greek Warrior’s” who sailed allthe way from Greece to coast of Scotland and setled in there so there was kind of connection between the celts and those great ” Blue Greek Warriors” and back then i wasn’t not really sure about it like Still now it is quite impossible to prove, but now when do itkinkin of it it kind of make some Logic in my Mind, because like the Vikings were great sail’s men so were the Greek’s and much before that like for example the Foinikian’s etc…, butenough of my memories for and time to watch some euro’s and offcourse i’m looking forward against the Bolivian game! Best Regards to u and to your friend cox4 as well who i will also answer as soon as i can and lokkin forward to speak with him like, maybe also with u in the near future…
Ricky Villa first of all may God rest in peace your father and your grandfather.
i don t care if those people didn t 100% supported Argentina. i am more than respect those kind of people especially in that era. they support their team PURE and with honor. May God bless their souls. Especially your father from your post make me feel how PURE and honorable man he was. i am sure he was good man.
Second THANK YOU so much for your post. THANK YOU for you share those story with me. Honestly this is the reason i am in Mundo. People like you from all around the world that love Argentina national team pure and deep and from their childhood have stories to tell. Stories with emotions that touch my soul. i am emotional person myself that is why i like this kind of people like you. So allow me from now on to call you my friend in my posts as i am doing to all those i am refering like this years ago in my posts that i met in Mundo and i feel them as my friends.
So my friend the first world cup i remember well was the 1990 world cup. the 1986 world cup is like shadows in my brain. My father had record all our games in 1986 and that is why i had see all of them dozens of times from my childhood the years after followed. So i have very good idea about 1986 games. i don t remember only because i was very little the “air” and the dayly life in Argentina in those times that world cup was take place.
(for football speaking) Back in 1990 it was my first and biggest blow in my life about emotional and sadness point of view. the 1990 final mark my life because the way we lose and the clear stole of cup from Germans put me in position to not be able to handle my cry and sadness. So much that if my father didn t be careful to me i could not live right now speak to you. i go out to balcony in tears and i almost fall down from careless because of tears and sadness. My father that day bring me inside and calm way teach me that life can be like this and i have to accept it and get over those situations fast and that should make me stronger. Plus life don t end with that loss even if the way is hurt much more than the hurt of one fair lose.
Anyway we should stand up and continue. Argentina will have many chances in future.
As long i will live i will never forget that day my friend and the lessons of life. i was hated the Germans and all those responsible for what happened in 1990 for many years till i grow up. Now in my age i don t hate anybody. Just i don t like the Germans. that didn t change over the years.
from 1990 i am still waiting to live what they didn t allow me to live and enjoy from my childhood. i wish God allow me before i die to live one day the bless day to see Argentina world champions. in 2014 i was so close again but…. the irony is Germans again stole my dream BUT… i trust God and i strongly believe that one day that day will come. just it is not come the time yet. i am waiting this day. Sooner or later will come. i am just waiting with full patience.
Wow, u are such a great Person and so kind to speak of my father in such beautiful way of yours like u do allways speak from straight of your heart and i’m literally having tears of joyness in my eyes at this very moment writing back to u my first Argentine Friend! I can never ever thank u the way u wrote to me was something so deeply touching my heart and soul! Nobody have never written like this to me i allways had the feeling in my heart since i was kid that one day i will get an True Friend from Argentina and so i became fan only for Argentina like your friend from Greece told me about his great moment in his life when he saw the great Argentina team playing in his own country and Diego’s last goal for Albiceleste and how he described was so beautiful to hear that between all the Greek supporters being a Greek himself stood up and celebrated and Cheered for Argentina which allmost got him beaten, because i do know that the Greeks are very,very pasionned for their own team and also for great rivalry against or between the teams specially from Athen’s etc..
But, back to your kindness towards my father and me is something that i would never forget and my fathers biggest dream was to literally move live in Argentina, but he only made as far as Spain and around several different places in Spain, before he returned to his kind of homeland which is Finland so we are borned in Finland and all our family is from Finland exept my wife who is from Thailand so my kids have 2 passports even they have been borned and lived most of their lifes in Finland and mainly visiting every year their family in Thailand until Corona appeared etc…
But, back to my father even he was born in Finland as Finnish Person he never felt really that Finland is his homeland even though he did not really had anything against Finland and i think he just was more like a internatinatiol or multinational Person who specially loved Germany and Argentina and Uruguay, but he never wanted to move Germany, but he would have given anything to been able to live in Argentina or maybe in Uruguay. So he never made it like i have not until now, but i’m trying hard to fullfill his dream and at least to visit Argentina one day hopefully with my kids and now i’m maybe, a bit close to that dream because my dad’s younger brother is married to an Argentine Lady from the Great area of Buenos Aires and he has been there and around the country side in your country allready for before Corona for several months etc… now they are back in Finland because his wife works with embassy of Uruguay here in Finland so she speaks perfect Finnish and have lived in Finland for many year’s and offcourse they met in here and got married in Finland few year’s before my dad passed away…
But, i’m kind of speechless at this moment of great joyness that u have given to me! And like i said i will never forget it, because this totally unique moment in my life and a totally new experience which makes me so happy! Thank’s to your kindness and your beautifull words, my Friend!
And god thank for your father who brought u in from your balcony with your tears and saddness in your heart and like u said maybe, this thing that we are talking with to each other right now would have never happened if your dad would not react quick enough so what i want to really say is that like u said that my old man must have been great Person and u are respecting him as great Person which make’s me very emotional in very good way, but the same goes to your Dad or even more because he literally saved propably your life so i consider him and respect him even more greater Person than my old man and i’m so happy that your father was the one who brought u in from your balcony and back to life!
All my biggest respect’s to u and your dad and to all your Family!
I can kind of feel your sadness and allmost see your tears in your eyes in that day 1990 when the German’s kind of robbed us another WC like in 2014 or 2006 when we lost to them even we should have won and even Philip Lahm have admitted recently that Argentina was the much better team in that game and that Argentina team he faced during 2006 WC was one the best teams or maybe the best team he have ever played against during his whole career so this kind of new to me also to hear this kind of talk from a german Person if u understand what i mean and i’m sure u do, my Friend! And offcourse there must other German’s who may feel the same way like Philip Lahm said etc…
But i’m wishing that your wish will come true one day and Argentina will got back rightfully what has been stolen unrightfully from them, but like your father teached u after that day in 1990 that life is unfortunatly not allways fair and there has been su much of unjustice going around for the history of mankind and specially lately for allready decades Argentina been one of those who have suffered so much from this unjustice around the and not only football wise!
So you are doing the exact right thing with your great patience! And i’m sure that wish of yours will come true one day, for sure, my Friend! Why because like your friend from Greece has often said Argentina are Still constantly producing great talent’s to football on and on so it is just the matter of time and maybe bit of luck or that at once for god sake, forgive me to use this word, but i think it is about time for luck to be Finally on our side ! So like u said in the beginning that you were glad and happy to hear my story and my father’s and also my grandfathers story, well the same goes for u and for u sharing your story like your Friend from Greece did also and actually u literally said it in your post what i have been searching for long time in the Mundo Albiceleste site which is like u said ” THANK YOU for you share those story with me. Honestly this is the reason i am in Mundo. People like you from all around the world that love Argentina national team pure and deep and from their childhood have stories to tell. Stories with emotions that touch my soul. i am emotional person myself that is why i like this kind of people like you. So allow me from now on to call you my friend in my posts as i am doing to all those i am refering like this years ago in my posts that i met in Mundo and i feel them as my friends.” This exactly what i been looking for a long time and once i had similar kind of feeling with Pablo D and we basicly talked much about spurs and about Ricardo”Ricky” Villa and Ardiles + other Argentine players who been playing in the spur’s team during spur’s history til’ now etc… But with all the respect to Pablo D and hopefully he is fine and well! Your words have touched my heart and soul so emotionally that i’m having constantly tears of great joyness in my heart so i don’t know how to really thank u exept to just say it to u, my friend! THANK U SO MUCH FOR THOSE BEAUTIFUL AND VERY VERY KINDLY WORDS OF YOURS TOWARDS MY FATHER AND ALSO TOWARDS MY GRAND FATHER AND SAME GOES FOR ME TOO AND I SEND U WITH ALL MY HONOUR TO U AND YOUR DAD AND TO ALL YOUR FAMILY MY BIGGEST RESPECTS AND LOTS OF STRENGTH TO U AND YOUR DAD AND ALL OF YOUR FAMILY TOO LIKE I DO SEND IT WHOLE COUNTRY OF ARGENTINA AND FOR ALK OF THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED AND STILL LIVE IN THERE, MAY GOD’s SOUL TO LAY ABOVE ALL OF U AND FOR ALSO FOR ALL THE PEOPLE AROUND WORLD WHO HAVE HAD AND STILL HAVE THAT PASSION FOR ALBICELESTE ! Best Regards Ricky Villa and actually i would like to be able to meet u with my kids one day,maybe on the Argentina soil!
THANK YOU honestly from my heart for this wonderful wonderful post my friend. i look forward to reading from you in future when you will have time here in Mundo. we are far in km distance with you and the rest of my friends here BUT that doesn t matter so much for me because the important is to be close in hearts. in that point of view we are beside. that count for me more honestly. Maybe one day we will meet maybe not. God knows. what i know for sure is that i am proud for people like you and i am sure you will teach your kids to love Argentina too.
You people are the biggest and the most valuable embassyes of Argentina around the world. Best regards and may God bless you and your family.
Copa America isn’t rated like Euro even Argentina will win 2021, Cristiano wining Euro will be considered bigger achievement than messi wining copa. Argentina need to win 2022 World Cup despite not favorite like 1978.
El pelotudo volvio con otro nombre, otra vez jajaja
Hi Siddiq, aka Romance KING aka Raj
such a lovely football played at that time.. speed and perfection
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