Among the Great Nations of the World
Maradona, Fútbol, Society
Was I ever Argentinian? ¿De dónde vengo yo?
Would I have cared, would I have been there? ¿Porque el nudo en la garganta, Las lágrimas que caen?
Is that the pain of those people there, Throughout the ether, I can feel? Si yo al partido no lo vi.
Distance brings a special kind of patriotism. I never felt completely Argentinian, while living in the country. However, fútbol seems to permeate through hidden parts of my identity.
Through Medium writer, Pablo Espindola, I found out, the soccer player Diego Maradona from Argentina where I am from, passed away on November 25th, 2020 at the age of 60. For those who can read Spanish, I recommend you read his article.
Fútbol, what in the United States is called soccer, is part of the social identity of Argentina. When Maradona scored the goal against England in the World Cup of 1986 allowing Argentina to advance to the semi-finals, it had special significance for the Argentine people.
England had recently defeated Argentina in the military conflict over the Islas Malvinas (the Falkland Islands) in 1982 on the South Atlantic Ocean. In less than 3 months, 255 British soldiers and 650 Argentinian servicemen lost their lives.
Argentina did not send a professional army to this war. The war was initiated by the military coup that was governing the country at the time. The military government sent an ill-equipped army of recruits to fight against one of the military powers of the world.
In this fashion, the victory of Argentina over England in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico had special significance for the Argentine people.
Maradona was an icon, an example of what the Argentine people could achieve. He represented our potentiality, a clear example that we were able to hold our own among the great nations of the world.
©Pablo Pereyra 2020. Thank you for reading.
