“Messi and Us, and Us”
Argentina and England face off next Wednesday in what promises to be one of the most intense clashes of the era, reviving memories of a historic rivalry sparked by the legend Diego Maradona. Today, Lionel Messi leads the Argentine side, playing his first match against England at the age of 39, defying the notion that “age has its limitations.” Argentina struggled for a long time before finally managing to contain Switzerland; had the match gone to penalties, the semi-final landscape might have looked very different. Fortunately, Messi remained in the tournament while most other stars had already departed. Messi’s presence does not overshadow the brilliance of other players such as Julián Álvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, and the rock-solid defender Lisandro Martínez.
Haaland “came out swinging,” and it appeared that English defenders were the ones best equipped to handle him man-to-man. His coach, Ståle Solbakken, found no alternative but to keep him on the pitch throughout both extra-time periods. Harry Kane is the team captain, but the star is Jude Bellingham, who excels in all midfield roles—right, left, or central, depending on the manager’s preference. Bellingham demonstrated an extraordinary ability to anticipate and chase down rebounds from the goalkeeper, which led to the precious winning goal, capitalizing on the poor judgment of Norwegian goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland. Nyland broke down in tears after the match, embracing his wife and two children in an emotional scene.
Without the fans, the matches would feel incomplete. The supporters of England and Argentina are the loudest and most passionate, while Norway’s fans stole the spotlight with their unique cheering style known as “Viking rowing.” Supporters sit closely together, rhythmically moving their arms back and forth in a coordinated motion, mimicking paddling an ancient Viking ship. Spanish fans, both men and women, cheer for their team with intense enthusiasm inside the stadium, embracing each other after every goal. French supporters, on the other hand, cheer as if they were in a clay tennis court.
