Argentina champion in December: this time it was also the third party with a nice Christmas memory

The 120th anniversary of the first international match played by the Argentina national team was celebrated on 20 July, a team full of British surnames born in the country. In another context, the consecration could have coincided with the historic anniversary, but the Qatar 2022 World Cup broke with the traditional June/July dates. Argentina were champions on 18 December and the festivities continue into the Christmas season.

In the long and rich history of the Argentina national team, which accumulates 22 international titles (3 World Cups, 15 Copa América, 2 Conmebol-UEFA Champions Cups, a Confederations Cup and a senior Pan-American), the new star is not the only one reached in the last month of the year, around Christmas Eve and Christmas. There were times when it was also celebrated with sweet bread and cider. curiouslyheThis was also the third, the previous ones in 1925 and 1947.

The first South American tournament was played in Buenos Aires in 1916, the first Copa América was played in Uruguay in 1917 and Argentina won it for the first time in 1921, as host country. The second was in 1925 and was played between 29 November and 25 December. Yes, this Sunday 25th is the 97th anniversary of that atypical consecration.

At that time only 5 of the 10 South American countries made up the South American Football Confederation. However, only two of the four visitors made the tournament. Absent Uruguay, reigning champions, due to internal political problems, and Chile, due to the disappointing performance of the previous year. just arrived Paraguayan Y Brazil. Therefore, the tournament was played for match and revenge.

Argentina’s squad consisted only of players from the Argentine Association, which was the one affiliated to FIFA. Buenos Aires football had been divided since 1919 and there was an amateur association with a lot of weight and, moreover, it had its own team. But I haven’t played this kind of competition. Of the 17 players called up, there were 8 of Mouth, 2 of the future is one of Hurricane, Argentinians, Chicago, Columbus of Santa Fe, Argentine of Quilmes, Progressive Y Saint martin from the homonymous city of Buenos Aires.

On their debut, Argentina beat Paraguay 2-0 with goals by Manuel Seoane Y Martin Sanchez At the court of Boca had Senguel and Minister Brin. In the second match, he beat Brazil 4-1 at Sportivo Barracas, with 3 goals from Seaane is one of Alfred Garasino. In the third game, Argentina nearly secured the title by defeating Paraguay 3-1 in Boca, with goals from Tarasconi Sunday, Seaane Y Juan Carlos Irurieta.

With one game to go, Argentina had 6 points, Brazil 4, and Paraguay had lost all of their games. A win for the Brazilian team would force a tiebreaker. The decisive match was played on December 25 at the Boca stadium, against quasi 20 thousand people. After 30 minutes, Brazil led 2-0 with goals by Arthur Friedenreich, the first great Brazilian soccer star, and Nilo. And there was scandal.

Carlos Aira tells in his book Heroes of Tiento: “Shots flew in all directions. The Boca Juniors playing field was a huge wrestling ring. The most outrageous was the Brazilian Pamplona. When the situation seemed to stabilize, defender Helcio hit Cerrotti in the back. More chaos. After almost half an hour, Uruguayan referee Manuel Chaparro continued the match without being sent off».

But Argentina reacted, discounting Antonio Cerrotti in the 41st minute of the first half, and 10′ after the second half, Seoane scored the equalizer that would have given the Argentine team the title. Sure, we had to suffer until the end like against France. In the last minute, Friedenreich’s shot hit the crossbar. Then came the festivities. Moreover, It was the only time in history that the national team played on 25 December.

There was another celebration after Christmas. It was in 1947 South American that it was played in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and so on He had Alfredo Di Stéfano as a great figure, who barely wore the Albiceleste shirt in those 6 games. In those years Argentina dominated South America. He had been champion in 1941, 1945, 1946 and runner-up in 1942. And that year he repeated the party with a team full of stars that could have easily won a world championship: Julio Cozzi, José Marante, Néstor Rossi, Félix Loustau, René Pontoni, José Manuel Moreno, Norberto Méndez and Mario Boyéamong others.

“My biggest and only contribution with Argentina was the South American in Ecuador (1947), I played six games and was the best in the league we won. Against Paraguay, in the first match, Pontoni was injured, so I had to face the rest of the tournament. When I made my debut against Bolivia I wasn’t nervous, even if I looked a bit strange in that shirt. We won by a landslide and I scored a goal”, Saeta Rubia recalled in her biography.

On 26 December, at the George Capwell stadium, inaugurated two years earlier, Argentina defeated Ecuador 2-0, with goals from José Manuel Moreno and Norberto Méndez, and came one step away from the title. They had 11 points and were yet to face Uruguay, who had 10. Once again, River Plate Classics defined a title. On 28 December, Albiceleste won 3-1 with two goals from Tucho Méndez and one from Loustau and were crowned champions three times.