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Argentina is a mess! Sure, it may be a mess, but it also has Messi—possibly the top 3 player in the history of the game. Besides, sometimes what appears like mess to us could be a piece of beautiful abstract expressionist art, like a Jackson Pollock painting.
Recent reports claimed that this Argentinian team is in absolute disarray, and beyond repair. Reports state that Argentina’s coach, Sampaoli, who does not believe in preparation, is making it almost impossible for the team to win. Indeed, Sampaoli keeps over 100 million Euros sitting on the bench and Argentina’s road has been very rocky so far.
Yet, despite the odds, Argentina advanced to the round of 16. They next face France, a favorite, a team that is compact, disciplined, and likely more talented than Argentina (excluding Messi, of course). So, why should we think that Argentina may win? Simple psychology really—after surviving almost certain death (metaphorical, of course, but still), you will feel reborn and ready to take on a new challenge from a new perspective.
Whenever we are pushed into the corner, and are written off, only to come out of it victorious, we learn that we can seemingly overcome anything. These near death experiences in sports provide the team with a special kind of confidence and bonding. I expect that we’ll see an organized and poised Argentinian team this Saturday when they face France.
Also, football (lets stop calling it soccer please, it’s played mostly with feet) is a game of passion, an art form really. You see, when you grow up in football cultures you easily recognize that every little kid playing football does so with unrivaled joy—it’s not always about strategy or discipline, sometimes it’s simply about the passion for the game. As a kid when you are asked to play, your whole body and soul goes onto the pitch, and you’re overcome by the joy of the game. Whoever feels the most joy and passion for the game most frequently wins. If Argentina is able to get on the pitch with this simple attitude, and if they play with full passion, they will have a chance at defeating France.
Finally, let’s not forget Messi. Messi is more than just a football’s Michelangelo, painting masterpiece after masterpiece on the football field. Messi is a leader and a great teammate, who got momentarily lost in Sampaoli’s soap opera, but will find the way to reach his teammates, now that it matters. His teammates too will recognize that they have an opportunity to win the World Cup and that it only depends on their togetherness.
When you are out on the pitch and living each delightful moment of your match to the maximum, you may overhear your crazed manager yelling from the sidelines, but most likely you don’t hear a thing—you’re in a meditative state along with your teammates, with the whole world completely tuned out.
For Argentina to win they need to remember their childhood passion for the game, they need to embrace each other, and, yes, they need to tune out their manager.
