Monday was the calm before the hurricane. The appearance of the City of Buenos Aires as the day began was similar to a post-festival day, as if it were December 26 or January 2, with little traffic and many hangovers. It was activated little by little, after noon, until in the late afternoon the epicenter moved several kilometers towards the town of Ezeiza: thousands of people gathered again, like on Sunday, to begin the vigil at the gate of the property of the sultriness.
They arrived in cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles, all parked on the side of the Ingeniero Fernández García avenue -those who disembarked first- and already on the side of the Ricchieri highway -those who arrived later-. There were people from inside Buenos Aires, San Miguel de Tucumán, Cordoba, Santa Fe, Corrientes.
A zealous security operation (with Buenos Aires Police, Gendarmerie and members of private companies) manned the main access to the AFA property, the same one where, after the consecration in the 2021 Copa América, people forced the six kilometers to travel seven hours separate it from the airport of Ezeiza.
Around 5 pm, a gigantic crane appeared to deposit an attempted replica of the World Cup in one of the squares, flaunted in blue and white.
“We come to thank Messi”is the common argument of the fans who, dressed in blue and white, gathered to see King Lionel Messi offer them the World Cup, as they once did Daniele Alberto Passarella and closer in time Diego Armando Maradona.
The 36-year wait also crosses generations. Parents with children, grandparents with grandchildren, all gathered to share the hours until the delegation disembarked. Drinks and food were not lacking, with audiences and impromptu stalls taking center stage in every crowd.
They had planned to stay there until dawn earlier, to receive them as soon as they arrived at the facility from the stopover at Fiumicino airport in Rome. Even while resting in the concentration located in that place filled with mysticism. And, of course, until noon on Tuesday, when the coaches for the caravan would leave.
In this sense, around 19:30, the two buses that will contain the players and relatives of the Argentine national team entered the club.
The ecstasy has reignited, the tension rises and the fans react again to thank the Argentina national team for the greatest sporting achievement since 1986.
Source: Clarin
Jason Root is the go-to source for sports coverage at News Rebeat. With a passion for athletics and an in-depth knowledge of the latest sports trends, Jason provides comprehensive and engaging analysis of the world of sports.