As a group of passionate football loyalists entered Doha, beating their drums as loudly as they possibly could, some European and American fans sported a look of innocent stupefaction. The scenes they saw unfolding in front of their eyes were not particularly, for the lack of a better and more appropriate word, 'normal'.
The group wore blue-and-white striped jerseys, having ‘Messi 10’ on the back of their kit. The jersey was famous – belonging to the two-time world champions, Argentina. The name on the back was also famous – Lionel Messi, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
With the team being one of the prime contenders to win the trophy, Argentine fans were always expected to flock to Qatar ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022. But the group that just made its way did not arrive from Buenos Aires – with their distinct drum beats making it clear they were from India.
In sports, allegiance is not always a product of logical reason – a team chooses you before you choose your team. Argentina, renowned universally for their exquisite style of play, hence ‘chose’ millions of fans from all over the globe, especially from third-world countries. Hence, like a section of Indians, many made La Albiceleste their ‘adopted’ team.
For the last few decades, these chosen fans have witnessed nothing but misery. However, as Qatar prepares itself for the biggest football spectacle, an undeniable sensation has gripped the fans of Argentina. A feeling, that might not be easily discernible, but it is also too strong to be avoided - a feeling, that screams of what could be, finally, the great Argentine redemption.
How Argentina Became a Universal Symbol of Resilience
Argentina made it to the finals of the first-ever edition of the World Cup back in 1930, but they became a universal symbol of disrupting the status quo only during the 1970s.
Unlike the financial elites, a relatively poor nation becoming the world champions in 1978 helped Argentina gain global fandom, but it elevated to a different realm a few years later – when the sport was disrupted by the chaotic, yet the poetic rise of a phenomenon called Diego Maradona.
In 1986, Argentina won the World Cup again, and Maradona scored the goal of the century, by dribbling past five English players. The diminutive wizard, who also scored a controversial goal in that game, called the 2-1 win against England ‘symbolic revenge.’
Instantaneously, Maradona and his team became an inspiration for the third-world nations. Indomitable youngsters, poverty-ridden but still dreaming, hailing from shanty town slums known as the villas miserias, silencing the world’s Haut monde was indeed a spectacle to behold.
The Era of Darkness
While the 70s and 80s were a dream, it was subsequently followed by a nightmare. Neighbours Brazil became the most successful team, while the European giants also started catching up. It seemed that Argentina’s magic had faded with the retirement of Maradona, but the nation somehow managed to produce another one-of-a-kind talent, Lionel Messi.
Since the last decade, La Albiceleste have often been a one-man team. In the 2014 World Cup, Messi nearly managed to win the nation its third World Cup, but instead, he had to remain content with a Golden Ball for being the best player following a defeat against Germany in the final.
2014 showed promise, but it all came crashing down in 2018. Argentina had to struggle for a mere round of 16 qualification, where they were defeated by France. With Messi entering his thirties, it seemed the new generation of football fans will never be able to comprehend the greatness of the team, until they became ‘great’ again.
The Argentine Revival Featuring Two Lionels
Argentine fans will be seen chanting ‘La Scaloneta’ in Qatar, a term coined in affection for the individual responsible for their incredible rise, head coach Lionel Scaloni.
The former teammate of his namesake Lionel Messi, Scaloni joined Argentina as an assistant of the former coach, Jorge Sampaoli. A string of poor performances resulted in Sampaoli’s sacking, but surprisingly, Scaloni was made the caretaker manager.
The decision was met with criticism by the same fans who treat him as their saviour, mainly because he had no experience as a coach. Amid the noise, Scaloni did well to keep his profile low and his team’s quality, extraordinarily high.
The progress was gradual – Argentina stood third in the 2019 Copa America, then won it by beating a star-studded Brazil team in 2021, before beating defending European champions to win the 2022 Finalissima. Had anyone predicted these achievements following their 2018 World Cup ouster, he might run the risk of being considered the Merry Andrew.
Argentina will come to Qatar with a streak of 36 unbeaten games – only two shy of Italy’s world record tally. Scaloni reduced the dependency on older players by introducing a plethora of youngsters in the team, and this bunch is proudly prepared to ‘go to war’ for their two Lionels – the captain and the coach.
Rodrigo de Paul, Scaloni’s midfield general, explained the camp’s bonding with Scaloni by saying Telefe “At first there was mistrust. With us, with the coaching staff, it was quite difficult. Now Scaloni could convince us of anything. If it's 10 in the morning and he says 'good night,' then it's night for us.”
Speaking about Messi, young forward Julian Alvarez told El Pais “it would be very nice if it could be achieved for all Argentines and because I think that football owes it to Messi for everything he means for football worldwide. I don't know if we are candidates but we are here to fight anyone.”
The World Cup could not have come at a better time for Argentina. Messi, Scaloni, and everyone else in the camp can sense glory, just like their global fanbase. The heroes of the third world are ready to shine again, as for now, we wait for football to take over.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)