One more World Cup, one more desperate attempt to convince ourselves it's our time to win it?

This last week, the media in Argentina has been invaded by the following data in a (desperate?) attempt of massive conviction that we will win the World Cup thanks to some coincidences. Have a look, at see what you think!:)

1) In both World Cups, Argentina had Maradona and Bilardo (Bilardo was the coach of the national team in'86, and is now the manager)

2) South Korea has been one of our rivals in both tournaments.


3) Both in '86 and 2010, there's been an Argentinian film winner of Oscar for best foreign film: "La historia oficial" in '86 and "El secreto de sus ojos", with an actor in common (Pablo Rago).

4) Argentina barelly made it to the World Cup in '86, having done awfully in the qualifiers. Just like for 2010.

5) In those qualifiers, we won the last match thanks to a last minute goal under the rain (against Peru). Again, same story for the 2010 qualifiers (Gareca in '86 and Palermo now).

6) Both teams, have been terribly criticised by the media and the people in general before the World Cup (not common in Argentina)

7) For both World Cups, Argentina had the best players in the world at the moment (Fifa awarded): Maradona in '86 and Messi today.

8) The world champion previous to Mexico '86 was Italy. The world champion previous to South Africa 2010 is Italy.

9) The two best players in history are Maradona and Pelé. Brazil only won a World Cup again, 24 years after Pelé. In 2010, it's going to be our 24th year without a World Cup.

10) If you add the numbers that consitute 1986 (1+9+8+6) the result is 24.

11) In 1986 the captain of the Argentinian tennis team in the Davis Cup was Tito Vásquez. So is he today.

12) 2010 is the year of the tiger, according to chinese horoscope. So was 1986.

13) Player number 9 of the current Argentinina Team is Higuain, who's one of Real Madrid's figures. Just like Valdano in '86 (figure of Real Madrid and had shirt no9).

15) Before both World Cups, the champion of the Argentinian league was Argentinos Jrs. Being the figure of that team in '86, the coach of today's champion.

16) Before both World Cups, the exact same teams that got relegated in the argentinian league. (Rosario Central and Chacarita)

17) The president of the Argentinian Football Association was in both World Cups Julio Grondona.

18) After Mexico '86, Argentina hosted America's Cup. After South Africa 2010, Argentina is hosting American's Cup again.

19) In 1986, there were 13 Europan teams, just like now.

20) In Mexico '86, the matches were played in 9 diffrent cities. Just like in South Africa now.

21) In both World Cups, Denmark was in group E.

22) In both World Cups, the ball has been Adidas.

23) Maradona was the figure, top scorer and champion in the under 20 World Cup in '79. Played his first World Cup in'82 but wasn't very good, and then had all his glory in the following World Cup: 1986.

Messi was the figure, top scorer and champion in the under 20 World Cup in '05. Played his first World Cup in'06 but wasn't very good and is now in this World Cup...

25) Both winners of the Champion's League previous to both World Cups, have been Italian teams. (Inter and Juventus)

26) Mexico played both opening matches of both World Cups.

27)In 1986 Argentina's scored in its first match in the 6th minute. Just like In South African against Nigeria.

28) Both logos are similar.

That Hug

An image can describe things better than a million words. And it’s precisely an image what made me write this. Or more like a series of images, that would make anyone’s heart stop for a minute, especially in this times when another World Cup is being held.

Together, this pictures constitute an incredible mix of historic witness, artistic work, and naked humanity, and this has won “El abrazo del alma” (as this series of photographs have been named) many awards. Roughly translated it means “The Hug from the Soul” and just yesterday it was their 32nd anniversary.

32 years ago, yesterday, Argentina won its first ever World Cup, in 1978. With a chaotic background of the most bloody military regime South America has ever seen; fear, ignorance, passion, anxiousness, and loads of other feelings only people who lived it can express, Argentina was achieving the national dream, a tiny little bit of fake fresh air our suffocated society needed to stay alive for a bit longer.

Here I leave you the impressive shots and hope you like them. Below, there’s the short story behind them.

25th June 1978. River Plate’s football stadium. Argentina has just become World Champion for the first time. Seconds after the referee calls the end of the match.

Tarantini, one of the Argentinean players lets himself fall on the pitch and starts crying. Fillol, the goalkeeper, goes up to him to share the same feeling and kneels next to him to put their arms around each other.

A young fan whom had been hiding for an hour before the end of the match, comes running towards them. He wants to share this glorious moment with his idols. They’ll never be so close to him again, and only God knows how long will it take for these circumstances to repeat themselves.

But he’s got no arms.

He himself recalls it: “I saw the players right there, so close to me…they held each other, so I had to stop. And right then the sleeves of my blazer went forward and rested on both their backs. That’s when Alfieri took the picture and it looks as if the three of us were holding”

Victor Nicolás Dell’Aquilla was 22 at that time, and he had lost his arms during his childhood after an accident with an electrical post.

Pictures by Ricardo Alfieri (Senior) for the classical Argentinean sports magazine “El Gráfico”.

La Boca

La Boca is a picturesque neighbourhood of Capital Federal in the border with Greater Buenos Aires and it's the place most linked to Tango in the world.

There are no subway stations in this area, you can only take local buses and it's very convenient that you ask the bus driver to tell you where to get off.

He will probably leave you about 2 blocks away or maybe closer, which will give you a good opportunity to see what the area is like.

Boca Juniors' Stadium is located here, and guided tours are offered.
About La Boca

La Boca was always a low class neighbourhood: First a port, then an immigrants' spot, and now simply low class but touristy.

The coulourful houses you find here are not currently inhabited, they're just real size monuments of past times. Although some are used as shops or museums.

These houses were built on high pillars due to the common floods, and one house could be shared by many families at the same time. This time of buildings were called "Conventillos".

The most famous person that represents La Boca is painter Benito Quinquela Martín whose pictures describe the port life of the neighbourhood in the early 1900's.

A block or so away from Boca Juniors Stadium and right in front of the river, there's Quinquela Martín's museum.

His pictures are unique.

La Boca is full of touristy shops, cafes and restaurants, which tend to have touristy prices as well, what in Argentina means double price.

In La Boca everyone shouts at people who walk past, advertising their shop. Here you can find, clothes' shops, souvenirs' stores, restaurants, cafes, cd stores, neighbourhood-dedicated museums...Many of these are inside the colourful buildings.

There are also many "tango dancers" in the streets of La Boca.

This people generally just stand there asking people if they'd like to a picture with them (which of course you have to pay for) but they're hardly ever dancing though.

The streets of La Boca are only for pedestrians. Cars are not allowed, so you can walk freely all along and across La Boca enjoying the view without worrying.

important!   If walking randomly down its characteristic colourful streets leads you up a dangerous area, the neighbours of La Boca will warn you and barely let you keep going any further.