Jogo Bonito in Argentinian Style

The "Beautiful Game" or as the world knows of the game called Football. Thats how poetic one can be, to describe the most simple game ever that mankind has played. Perhaps, the romantic tradition in the Literature of Classic ages has drafted the game and given it a mesmerising effect. Within this beauty, the special aura has descended on the Latin American style. "Latino" is not just a term, but a feeling, a passion and a pedestal for glory in ultimate terms.

Thats how the the game of soccer has enmassed the the continent of Latin America, especially Brazil and Argentina. Both the teams always been likened to Houldini, for performing magic with the ball. They are no doubt Magicians!!Argentina, is currently having its 15th World Cup appearence in Germany and the last time, they missed the World Cup was in 1970. Their arch-rivals, Brazil has played in all the editions of the World Cup. Thus, Brazil is the only team in the World Cup football history to have done this achievement. Still, the Argentines, twice kissing the ultimate summit, in 1978 and 1986 and once being the Runners-Up in 1990 have special charm o their own. It is like Da Vinci or Michelangelo holding the brush or chisel creating perfection (though it is still a matter of dispute as to whether anyone could achieve perfection!!) or Shakespeare placing his characters or Mozart & Beethoven setting the magical tunes to create those highest forms of musical spectre!!

Latin America, often considered as its backyard by the Imperialist US and seen as a laboratory for the Neo-Liberal Economic policies ahs been devastated by Authoritarian Governments, poverty, unemployment and other mass ills.Amidst all this dreariness the game of soccer has got its own prominence. Just look at the background of the players there. It is mostly a lower-middle class structure, with the boys playing the game in the bylanes, streets and the interior villages of the country. Diego Maradona is the living example of this phenomenon in Argentina. The performances of Argentina in the world of soccer has always provided solace to the heart of the masses and atleast temporarily lifting them into the surreal world from the hard realities of mortal life.

The crowning achievement for the Argentines after the 1978 win-clouded in the authoritarian dictatorship then-came in the form of a man calledMaradona when he led the team to the second crown at the Azteca stadium in Mexico City in 1986.The most scintallating spectacle then came in the form of the game against England when the Albeceleste disapalyed an exhibition of football par excellence.The game was known for two goals by the King-one , the famous Hand of God and the second immediately after, which remains one of the top goals not just in World Cup History, but in that of the entire footballing woorld.The second goal scored by him after deceiving atleast six Englishmen and finally putting it past the hands of the English goalkeeper Peter Shilton is altogether above the sublime.It stands out with the works of Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, Mozart and Beethoven, and is on a greater pedestal.This is the work can be classified as a "top-notch", away from the works of mortals like us.No goal has come anywhere near that one till today, even though U may remember a person called Michael Owen paying back in the same coin to the Argentines on a night of high-drama in St.Etienne in 1998.

However, this World Cup has started showing the glimpses of those glorious days in 1986. The game against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen where the successors of Diego ruled the pitch for the full 90 minutes has clearly defined the view. All the goals in that game were complete team goals, and not of any individual glory.Esteban Cambiasso scoring the 2nd goal after a multitude of 24 passes just displays the power as well as the poetry of Latin American football. Certainly, that could have been done by only a team from Latin America.Hernan Crespo, Javier Saviola, Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Juan Roman Riquelme, Juan Pablo Sorin, Pablo Aimar, Maxi Rodriguez, Esteban Cambiasso, Gabriel Heinze, Roberto Ayala and Abodenzieri with other members of this Argentine squad are following the overwhelming legacy of the country in World Cup Soccer and seemmdetermined to get that ever-shining trophy designed by Silvio Gazzanigga back in Bueonos Aires.Also, it is now authoritatively concluded that the team that beats Argentina would be the one to be crowned the World Champions on July 9th.

The story of Latin American football can thus be read from the script written by Argentina; a script whose climax still remains a suspense...........