2024-07-16 07:26:26
Miami: Argentina’s football fans, who are facing economic crisis, forgot all their sorrows in the last 24 days and got a chance to celebrate, even if only for a few moments, after watching the Lionel Messi-led team win the Copa America title. Diego Soceres, who witnessed Argentina’s celebration of winning the World Cup on 18 December 2022, said, “Fantastic. This victory is also beautiful.” With the victory of the Copa America for the second consecutive time by defeating Colombia by one goal in extra time, the series of victory celebrations and fireworks started in Argentina. Argentina has been struggling with economic crisis for years. But today the annual inflation rate is 270 percent and 60 percent of the country’s 4.5 crore population is living in poverty. The people of Argentina are already troubled by anti-government protests, workers’ strikes, and the continuous fall of the peso (Argentine currency) against the dollar.
But this victory brought smiles on their faces, albeit only for a short while. The last time Saceres celebrated the team’s victory was when he was working as a cook in a restaurant and had a rented house. But now he is unemployed and lives on the streets. He said, “Now everything is terrible. Inflation has increased so much.” In these circumstances, the meaning of this victory has increased for them. Erica Maya, a mother of six children, is homeless but is happy with the victory. She said, “This is our best entertainment. We forget all our sorrows and pain in this happiness.”
As soon as the final match started at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, the restaurants of Buenos Aires were closed, the streets became empty and silence spread everywhere. Due to the Corona lockdown, most people in Argentina watched the match at home. The speculation of the retirement of 37-year-old Messi has also increased his interest in football. Adrian Vallejos, who watched the match with his wife and son, said, ‘I think he will play further. I don’t know whether he will play the next World Cup or not. But I pray that he plays.’