are met 20 years of one of the greatest failures of the Argentine national team. Two decades that served to leave in the past the painful frustration caused by the premature elimination in the World Cup that they organized together South Korea y Japanand to which the Albiceleste arrived as a candidate.
That morning of June 12, 2002 Millions of fans were kept in suspense in front of the TV screens with the desire to shout the saving goal once morest Sweden that should interrupt the least expected ending. Undoubtedly, the conquest of Hernan Crespo following the penalty that wasted the Burrito Ortega was not enough, since the goal of Valdanito recently arrived 2 minutes from closing. And the twilight settled in the hearts Creole.
The team led by Marcelo Bielsa had made one Almost Perfect Eliminator, con 13 wins in their 18 matches, 4 draws y a single loss to Brazil as a visitor. His productions positioned the Albiceleste on the top of the FIFA Ranking and the frustrating raid by Paraguay on the 1999 America’s Cup seemed to have been part of a learning process to become the highest candidate for the world of Asia.
The high rates of unemployment in the country, the devaluation of the peso and the economic and social crisis fostered collective unrest; and a sports result might have meant a blanket of satisfaction in the midst of the general sadness. Aware of the reality that hit Argentine society, John Paul Sorin revealed in dialogue with Infobae How did you go through the painful process following the 1 a 1 once morest the Scandinavian team that decreed the unexpected farewell: “I went through a tremendous slump, I wanted to quit football… but then you realize that you have to keep trying. At the time we had a friendly with which a new process began and I convinced myself that I wanted to be in another World Cup”.
Jumpi he is aware of the expectations that this group had generated. Even the win over Nigeria in the debut had fueled the illusion of the fans, but the defeat once morest England and equality once morest Sweden marked the resounding outcome of a team that threatened to keep the crown. “It was very hard. It was the saddest dressing room that I had to live. It left a scar for life”, continued the former captain without hiding the damage caused by that incursion byr Korea and Japan: “At that time I went through a very big depression. It was a very hard moment in Argentina and we wanted to give people joy”.
From a distance, the former left-back was also encouraged to seek the arguments for the early elimination. “It was tremendous. We felt like a powerful team, with players who broke it in the best leagues in the world. We outperformed our rivals, but we mightn’t translate it into the results. We create a lot of situations, but when you don’t score goals you stay out”, he concluded.
Claudio Lopez He was another of the protagonists of the nightmare. The Louse formed the front with the Burrito Ortega y Gabriel Batistuta (Perhaps one of the most recurring complaints to the coach was that it did not include Hernan Crespo beside Bati), and on more than one occasion admitted the mistakes he made Loco before their presentations around the stadium Kashima of Ibarakithe Sapporo Dome and the Miyagi Stadium. “Bielsa had his mistakes, as they all have. I am not one to stay with a single coach, but rather I try to get the best out of each one and learn regarding it”, said the former player of Racing when he was interviewed in the midst of a pandemic on the television program F90.
In the remembered interview by Zoom what did the table do to him Fox Sports, the Cordovan warned that the DT failed at a key moment before the start of the tournament. “He had a very effective game system and convinced a lot of players who were at a very high level in Europe”, he recognized without forgetting how the preparation was for the Old continent: “We arrived very touched. When we were in Rome, we had a very intense training. They were things that might be avoided and done in another way. We were loaded and many players were physically weak. The injury of Naked (Almeida), Caniggia and the Mouse (Ayala) were some examples. We talked regarding it with him teacher Boninibecause we had an extraordinary bond with him. Marcelo (Bielsa), instead, in one on one it was more distant”, he recalled.
In contrast, for Gabriel Batistuta “the conclusion is that, despite making all the preparations as they should and with great intensity, sometimes what is expected is not achieved”. In a conversation that kept with this medium, the former scorer highlighted with his experience what happened in Oriente: “I learned in football that you have to give your best. I faced professional life like this, because it is very ugly to go on Monday and say: If he had bounced that ball around there, he would have changed the game, or if he had run a little more, the result would have been different. That feeling is horrible. That’s why I learned to give everything, regardless of whether it was won or lost. I never reproached myself for my preparation y in the 2002 World Cup that happened to me. It was a terrible defeat, I think one of the worst in Argentinabut I don’t know where the error was because there was a constant, correct and obsessive preparation. Today I don’t remember anything why I was totally depressed. I don’t have a picture of that locker room, because I think we all cry It was a great sadness because we had prepared ourselves without leaving anything to chance and it didn’t happen. I was one of the many who felt that it was my last World Cup. My light went out for many days. It was all dark and I mightn’t find any explanation. As the days went by, but it was a very ugly experience.”
The change of Crespo by Batistuta before free throw Svensson that left no chance Paul Cavallero; and the absences of Juan roman riquelme (of enormous production in Boca that opened the doors of Barcelona), Sebastián Just o Gustavo Campagnuolo (both had shown great performances in San Lorenzo and Racing, respectively) in the World Cup list were other aspects that might have changed the equation.
The wound left an open scar that following 20 years failed to heal. Today with La Scaloneta the scenario is different and the fans are excited to fight for the title in Qatar. dream of seeing Lionel Messi raising the most coveted trophy on the planet is perceptible thanks to the conquests that were obtained in the America Cup of Brazil and the Final in Wembley. Las 33 presentations without crashes It is another of the arguments that excite the most optimistic. how you summed it up Juampi Sorin, to achieve the goal”You have to have a perfect month and may luck be on your side”. “Everyone has to be in their best version and a brotherhood must be installed in the group. If these factors are not present, it is very difficult to be world champion”, he concluded. I hope it happens.
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