Blackouts in prisons and celebrations on the streets: how Argentina’s victory was experienced in Calchín, the town of Julián Álvarez

Calchín is a municipality of just over 3 thousand inhabitants, 120 kilometers from the capital of the province of Córdoba. In this place he was born Giuliano Alvarez, 22 years ago. It’s Friday and only one event can interrupt the sacred siesta: the feast of Argentina national team in view of Hollandfor the quarterfinals of Qatar World Cup 2022.

The heat is suffocating and everyone is looking for an air conditioner to protect themselves. 40 degrees under the sun suffocate anyone. It’s just after 4pm and there’s not a soul left on the streets of Calchín.

Julian’s family is not there. “They all went to Qatar”, explains those who know them, that they are all in this place. Only Juli’s grandmother is left, who made a statement on television a few days ago and now chooses to follow her grandson’s performance without contact with the press that arrives from Buenos Aires.

As in every corner of the country, in this place everyone sits down in front of the television to watch the game Albicelestial. Everyone wants him to win the national team. But everyone wants Julian to win. The Manchester City forward is very loved for these payments. The Spider He is Calchín’s standard bearer in the world.

Every time the former River touches a ball, the nearly 40 souls (a crowd) who have gathered to watch the game at Bar Adelina, in front of the Town Hall, explode. Everything is encouraging for the Cordovan striker. “Come on Julius“,”From the Spider“,”About Julian“, are the screams that come out of these improvised stands.

When the young man trained Calchin Athletic Club facing the door, it gives the feeling that anything can happen. Here, in this place, every time Giulio touch the ball there is a chance to score. It doesn’t matter who thinks differently.

When one of the giant Dutch defenders disputes a ball with the striker, people jump to defend him, even if they are more than 13,000 kilometers away. He in Qatar and them in Calchin. “Ehhh!“, they protest with a serious gesture. Julián Álvarez has his own personal army in these payments. Everyone plays for him and with him. The union is extraordinary.

Rodrigo De Paul’s shot in the 32nd minute of the first half was applauded by Adelina’s guests. It took a while for impromptu hugs between people who have known each other for a lifetime. And it appeared Nahuel Molina.

At 34 in the first half, after a spectacular qualifying by Lionel Messi, the ancient mouth opens the scoring and brings the national team ahead 1-0. The scream was deafening.

“Let’s go set“, cried the big and small in unison. And suddenly the Flea took center stage, leaving Calchín’s prodigal son aside. He’s crack stuff.

The game continued, hard and close. “Hey! Lack!“, “Cobra, what”, “It’s a card!!!”the Calchinenses shouted, as if they had paid the $2,000 for the flight to Qatar and were at the Lusail stadium.

Suddenly, Denzel Dumfries knocks Julián down in the middle of the field. the crime It didn’t mean a card, which detonates the indignometer that measures emotions in Calchín. It was required for the foul, for the yellow and for the red. Don’t touch Julian! Did the Dutch not get the message?

In the 17th minute of the complement, a free kick from Lionel Messi grazed the crossbar of Andries Noppert and aroused the emotion of Adelina’s clientele, who had not spoken in the match for some time. “uhhhhh“,”How close huh!“,”come on, dad“, echoed in the environment. Did you have to liquidate him? And again bite your nails.

At that moment the penalty against Marcos Acuña arrived and Lionel Messi scored his fourth goal in this World Cup. The cry of the people of Cordoba was more of a relief than anything else. With the 2-0, the neighbors were already starting to text each other on WhatsApp to start the celebrations. But football is football, in Ushuaia, in La Quiaca and in Calchín.

With ten minutes remaining, a point went wide: Lautaro Martínez came on for Julián Álvarez. The ex River couldn’t convert but everything ran and didn’t give anymore. “Well, Julián, damn it, let’s think about Croatia!” he tossed one, finally branded as “mufa”. What happened next was terrifying.

First came the discount. Someone yelled from behind, with a smile: “You always have to suffer, huhAnd there was no lack of reason. The Dutchman added a burst of doubles and equalized in the last minute, forcing extra time. The inconvenience was enormous. Moreover, Juli was wearing a bib and on the bench. huge but something worse was missing.

Suddenly, darkness took over Calchín.

in the fallback fanfest a blackout added drama to the penalty shoot-out. A small group started hearing it on the radio, the noble AM ​​that never fails on this kind of occasion. At another table, meta username, password and 4G data on a mobile so that a small screen takes us back to Doha, with the first two penalties saved by I drew Martinez. What was fatality turned into optimism and euphoria.

Like it’s a movie, it just started raining. The penalty missed by Enzo Fernández didn’t matter. “Come on, Lautaro, come on,” they shouted to Calchín. The one chosen to kick off the semi-final for the national team was precisely the player who lost his place in the team at the hands of Julián. Here the flag is one. And the most awaited goal cry arrives, we are in the semifinals.

The light also returned and horns began to be heard in the streets of Calchín. This small city of Cordoba that appears on the world football map thanks to Julián Álvarez. Within days, the illusion continues.

From Calchín, Córdoba, special envoys.