Argentina and Lionel Messi are already in the land of the World Cup: the national team landed in Qatar and was welcomed by a special fan

Minute 0: Lionel Messi has both feet in Doha, Qatar, the land of the World Cup. The World Cup officially begins for the Argentina national team. The Argentinian delegation arrived this Wednesday afternoon (early Thursday morning in the Qatari capital) after leaving behind Abu Dhabi and the 5-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates, in the last preparation match before the competition.

The plane landed in Doha and then took a bus to the National University, where he was greeted by a large and noisy group of Albiceleste fans. Songs, encouragement for the players and the usual anger for Messi, who is already in the country where he will play his fifth World Cup and where he will seek a new title with the Argentine team after the 2021 Copa América and the Finalissima, his first two stars in 17 years of experience with the biancoceleste shirt.

The preview of the trip from Abu Dhabi was shown in an Instagram reel by the defender Nicola Otamendiwho greeted the team members one by one as they sat in their seats after the match against the national team led by Rodolfo Arruabarrena.

Doha National University has three sports complexes that give the opportunity to practice outdoor sports and also has an indoor gymnasium. The university campus is located 20 kilometers from the Doha international airport and is also very close to the Lusail Stadium, scene of the debut on Tuesday 22nd (at 7:00 Argentine time) against Saudi Arabia.

A noisy reception

Madness and passion for the national team. This is how we can summarize what happened on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning at the entrance to Training Field 3 of the University of Qatar, the house where Lionel Messi and his band will live for the entire duration of this global dream in the Middle East.

After the 5-0 against the United Arab Emirates in a friendly match which was a bit of a demanding workout and Lionel Scaloni’s sentence which triggered the alert for a possible injury in the 26-man squad, the group rose to a plane to Abu Dhabi which took him to Doha. The plane’s arrival time was scheduled for 22:45.but landing was near 2:30 on Wednesdays.

And that was also the moment when a handful of people from Cordoba gathered in front of the entrance gate of the property. They had arrived a few hours ago from Argentina. And they had left everything there. Literally. One had quit his job and sold his car to pay for travel and accommodation. “What will I do when I get back? I’m looking for another job, but if I didn’t quit I couldn’t come”he explained to illustrate his courageous determination.

Another Cordoba said this will be his second World Cup. And the modus operandi for getting the funds was the same. “I sold the car to go to Russia. I came back and went to work to buy another car. And I sold it this year to be able to travel. Every time I go further back with the model, but who can bring it to me away from me,” he said.

The minutes pass and the bus with the Argentine delegation does not arrive at its destination. Luckily the night was cool. Although the humidity did its part for every pogo to end up in a goo.

The information circulating among the special envoys was that before boarding the plane the players had made a technical stop before being concentrated in the bunker which is located about 20 minutes by car from the center of Doha. he had to have dinner.

Meanwhile, the fans of the national team have not stopped arriving at the door of the University. It was a rental car festival, the kind of fans who kept coming down with the Argentine shirt. From Buenos Aires, from Catamarca and with the wig, from Tucumán, from Ushuaia, from Rosario, from everywhere. River and Boca jerseys. Even a woman from Cordoba arrived with a painting of Maradona in a silver frame.. By then, some had already gathered. 300 fans of Scaloni’s team. There was everything. Even a couple started dancing in pop mode to make the wait a little more pleasant. It looked like the door to Ezeiza’s estate.

The highlight was when a couple of white vans pulled up. From there came the self-proclaimed official Argentine supporter of Qatar. There were about 15 shops dressed in blue and white. But how did they confess clarion, is made up of about 12,000 people who will support the Albiceleste. Yes, there are no doubts: Scaleneta will host the Middle East World Cup.

What was seen in the square in the previous days, with Albiceleste supremacy, was confirmed at the gates of the University. The Dohanos are devoted to Messi. “Meeeeessi, Meeeeessi, Meeeeessi,” revered the cameras and instagramers who had also been waiting at the property gate for some time.

The surprise became even greater when they started singing the songs that are usually heard at the Monumental or at the Bombonera when the national team plays. Crazy. And not to mention when they started singing in Arabic which contained the words Argentina and Messi.

“This will be Argentina’s year, which has good captains like Messi and Di María”read one of the songs that Qataris sang the most, in Arabic, but with a translation for this envoy.

It seemed that nothing could overcome him. He seemed. Because a River fan pulled out a speaker from his backpack and Yerba Brava’s ‘La Cumbia de los Trapos’ started blaring. Yes, waiting has turned into dance. “Put on Bizarrap, put on reggaeton and we’ll dance,” challenged one girl. But what she started playing was “Bombón asesino”, the classic of Los Palmeras and the party became huge. And not to mention when the improvised DJ played “La mano de Dios”, by Rodrigo.

The Qatari band did not want to be outdone. And he regrouped behind his flag, once again, shouting “Argentina, Argentina” before closing with another “Meeeeessi, Meeeeessi, Meeeeessi.” He insists: crazy. And the Selection hasn’t arrived yet. Still not going out? No, the WhatsApp turned off revealed that the mobiles were in airplane mode.

Doha, Qatar. Special envoys.