This is what Putin said about the World Cup final in Qatar between Argentina and France

The final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup did not go unnoticed by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who joined the voices that celebrated Argentina’s victory over France in a penalty shootout and congratulated his counterpart, Alberto Fernández.

“Vladimir Putin has just spoken on the phone with Argentine President Fernández and warmly congratulated him on the victory of the Argentine team in the World Cup,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, according to the agency. RIA Novosti in the afternoon of last Sunday.

The message was answered by President Fernández, who stated: “Thank you for this greeting President Putin. May the joy that today unites Argentina with so many peoples of the world serve as an example: our societies need unity and peace”.

This Monday, the Russian president referred to the exciting final of the World Cup and assured that he managed to see part of the second half, the extra time and the definition by penalties.

Putin assured that Argentina deserved the victory and stressed that in the South American country “people are passionate” about sports. “It seems to me that God was on the side of the fans and we have to thank both teams for the great game,” he added, according to the Russian channel RT.

Argentina celebrates its national team, an ideal of unity in a country divided by politics

The team that has just won the World Cup in Qatar-2022 and that brings Argentina its third Cup at the hands of Lionel Messi shows an ideal of unity, as long-awaited as it is difficult to achieve in this country bitterly divided by politics.

With an acute economic crisis that overwhelms the daily life of the population, a government fractured by the differences between President Alberto Fernández and Vice President Cristina Kirchner, and an opposition class focused on the candidacies for next year, the Argentines enjoyed themselves to the fullest. the collaborative spirit of its footballers, finally rewarded with the Cup won in Doha against France.

In the festivities, everyone was albiceleste, and even the sports rivalries -Boca versus River, Newell’s versus Rosario Central- had been surpassed, at least for one night.

But analysts warn that this magic is difficult to transfer to other areas.

“Sport, and soccer in Argentina in particular, has the ability, through emotion, to unite us, and that is very important in terms of national symbolism. But it does not mean that it is effectively transferable to other fields”, considered the sociologist Rodrigo Daskal.

Defender Nicolás Tagliafico was enthusiastic. “What we saw today, that passion and that union, hopefully it has served as an example to be able to maintain it in the future and realize that when we are together we are better,” he said.

A wish shared by the fans. The Cup “is not to forget the problems. It is to remember that we can unite and that, when we unite, we all go to the same side ”, summed up Julio Berdún, a hotel receptionist who together with his family celebrated the albiceleste triumph in the streets.

“We have to cut this crack that has us so divided. This is the kick to unite and realize that united we can much more. You have to cure some things and you have to get ahead, ”she added.

The emotions of the team, expressed in Messi’s smile, the joy of his teammates, the barely contained tears of coach Lionel Scaloni or goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez connected with the fans and forged a strong bond.

“This team plays for the people, for the Argentine fan, there are no egos or individualities, everyone shoots for the national team and for the country,” Scaloni declared with the Cup won.

Quite a contrast with the relationship between the political class and the citizenry.

“This competitive team, good vibes, efficient and humble contrasts with a political class that is very much at war with each other, which fails to improve things in the country. Society is very tired of the crack. He feels that it is a political business and an obstacle to development. That progress cannot be made because there is no unity”, explained the political analyst Carlos Fara.

“But I don’t see the political class reflecting on this. Most likely, after the euphoria passes, it will return to the same thing, ”she added.

The team decided that it will celebrate with its fans on Tuesday around the Obelisk, the soccer venue par excellence, on the very wide 9 de Julio avenue.

“People feel that it is a triumph of the national team and of the fans themselves, and that it is better not to get involved in politics. That is why there is no planned celebration in Plaza de Mayo or going to the Casa Rosada”, seat of the presidency, commented Fara.

Although for a moment the joys of soccer erased the economic anxieties in a country that will close 2022 with inflation of almost 100% per year, many were already returning to reality on Monday.

“It is a triumph for the sport, it sets an example for all the children and everything that comes. That’s the bottom line. But the truth, nothing changes things. We are world champions and nothing more. I have to go to work, everyone goes to work. The situation will not change, it will be as always,” said Ricardo Grunfeld, a 65-year-old architect.

An opinion with which Fara agreed. “The economic problems are long-standing and are not mitigated by the Cup. The solution to these problems has to do with things that the government must do, politics and, even if they were done, their effects would not be immediate,” he concluded.

With information from AFP