And They Lived Happily Ever After - Mar Azul Christmas 2022

This blog has been sleeping for quite a while, but suddenly a forceful fever gave it a purpose to continue existing.

Understanding another culture is not a linear thing. You start saying “boludo” and “quilombo”, understanding that all the streets change name at Avenida Rivadavia, that the 126 will take you to Palermo, that the cost of an empanada can change quite quickly, that you should arrive 1-2 hours late for the asado, that you won’t be in lack of abrazos and besos and that it’s fundamental to laugh to make friends. 

And yes, they do tell you football is important. And yes, I did see the streets were filled up with people right in the middle of a pandemic when Maradona passed away, but…

It wasn't before this World Cup that I truly felt how football is in the veins of the Argentineans and that it is a contagious decease…

When Montiel ended what for The World was one the biggest games in history, Argentina reaffirmed that suffering is the way to success.

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It started out absolutely brilliant. Messi so inspired and the team seemed joyful and energic, making room for the long wanted return of Di Maria. France on the other hand seemed numbed. This was Argentina’s game. The players were like beautiful fish in the water. The Lion Fish so cool during the penalty and the Angel Fish making an incredible comeback! With the two goals we were already riding the golden wave. We weren’t just enjoying, there seemed to be no danger for miles around.

And then out of nothing this young shark, that everyone had talked about, that had seemed to be bewitched during almost the whole match, gets his dinner easily served and wakes up immediately. His teeth are shining. Now totally present, smelling blood, in 90 seconds the story is turned upside down. 

It is a complete shock, the ocean had been so calm. The fishes start swimming rapidly around but the sea is blurred and it suddenly feels really cold, is this even possible? 

The game needs one more round and there is now a moment to make a fresh start. Remembering the good vibes from the first 80 minutes and the many Argentineans at the stadium, in Qatar.

Back in the sea it now seems to be moving in the right direction and we get the elease: Leo is just at the right place as he so often manages to be in his calm wandering around. The commentator is crying: “Messi lo hizo, Vamos Argentina”. 

And then bum! The shark is back, he doesn’t wanna let go! This is his cup! It sure matches his sharp teeth! But that’s not how the story should go. This is not what we’ve been waiting for in 36 years.

Few minutes left, but the French are getting terrifyingly close, luckily the long yellow fish Dibu is at his place and warming up for the third round. 

It should never have come to this. 

But now that it’s there, better get the Cup out of it! 

For Argentina, for the people! 

Give them the best day in their life! 

Argentina deserves this, Argentina needs this.

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We all know how the match ended and that Messi finally won the biggest football tournament in the world.

The players are enormously big sparkling stars on the sky for every child in the country and in every country there is a child that wants to be Messi. This victory gives so much hope and faith, that we can take another round with crisis, inflation, politicians, minery, woods burning down, you name it. Argentina is so complex and so loved - you wouldn’t understand as they say here.

On top of this we got the most epic end of the fairytale of Messi that you could imagine. Leo did it! His life’s work is perfect. He managed to put the golden frame around the fact that he is the best football player the world has ever seen.

Finally it seems like Maradona is stepping back and making room for the red beard nice guy from Rosario (for some reason the color of the beard is important to me).

I guess me being so slow in getting all this, probably has to do with being born in a country that seems very far away from winning the World Cup. It’s not really a thing you hope for as a Dane, it’s more like a possible miracle that might hit one day!

And now it feels like I won as well! A wild and savage joy! 

I find myself looking at reels of the World Cup, I can’t stop it and the algorithm knows it because it’s feeding me brutally! 

I’ve never seen a football game more than once, but I just find myself asking Luigi if we can spend Christmas re-watching the match. He looks at me and says: It's time to move on, my love.

Merry Christmas everyone.