El taller de crónica futbolera “Más allá del gol de Yepes” buscaba, además de desarrollar técnicas de escritura y herramientas para analizar un jugador o un partido, desacralizar el fútbol de entretenimiento y mostrar que, más allá del marcador final, resultan valiosos el disfrute del fútbol, los gestos ocultos de los jugadores, las celebraciones íntimas de los técnicos, la ceremonia de los camerinos, las actuaciones de los protagonistas y antagonistas y por supuesto, el abrazo despersonalizado de la hinchada. El taller reunió sin quererlo a un niño de 11 años, a tres adolescentes bogotanos y a uno neoyorkino, y a un administrador deportivo de Soacha. Un grupo diverso y heterogéneo unido por el amor por la pelota.
Por Ganesh Mejia-Ospina
Edad: 16 años
Manhattan, NY
Team: Barcelona FC
Favorite players: Ricard Puig and Frenkie De Jong
Obstrucción: Un jugador
I was pleasantly surprised to see Diego Simeone in the lineups for the Argentina vs Colombia special 5th of September, 1993, while rewatching the game today. Being on the younger side of the football fan spectrum, I failed to remember that “El Cholo” was in fact a player, and a good one at that. He made part of a great Argentina team with the likes of Batistuta, Leonardo Rodriguez, and Simeone himself. Being Colombian, “el cinco a zero”, which took place on that 5th of September, is now embedded in our culture. It was told to me like a tale, a mystical happening told by elders of a village to kids seeking stories. Only until this day, did I actually sit down and watch the full game, focusing specifically on Simeone, and the frustration that must have come, playing the full humiliating 90 minutes of that disastrous defeat.
While the score reflected a putrid Argentina side vs a glorified Colombian team, reviewing the game with Argentinian narrators pointed me in the realization that Colombia was not the far greater side. Both played good games, and it was the pace of Asprilla, Valencia, and Rincon that ultimately deprived Argentina of the needed victory. But on the attack Argentina appeared, to be completely frank, the superior side. In terms of build-up, movement, and general transition in attack. I am well aware that I am directly jeopardizing my Colombian passport, when I confidently state: we got lucky. Argentina, like many teams often do, were in need of the final finish, and missed countless fruitful chances. There were minutes left when, if not for the marker counting the score, I would have sworn Colombia was being flattened into a yellowish pulp. Messy passing, unorganized movement, Colombia played scared, reaching for the sanctity and apparent safety of the counterattack. Thread it to Valderrama who would swing an inch-perfect pass to our rapid forwards.
I turn now to the present. To Simeone as a coach, the man I know well. Being a faithful culé, Atleti have venously ruined games using a similar style of football, ironically, Colombia was using that 5th of September. Younger fans like myself know El Cholo for his “cojones”, for his indisputable bravery on the touchline. In short, Simeone is: loud, effective, and terrifying. The man is louder than his players, louder, and sometimes even more passionate than the fans. He screams in joy when his team scores. In agony when they fail to do so, disgust plainly written on his face when his solid, three lined, rock hard defense lets one slip past into the net. If his teams failed to match this passion with their own intensity on the field, he would be considered folly by the majority of the football community.
Thus, with this image of Simeone set in your mind, imagine this 5-0 defeat for the poor defensive midfielder. I can’t imagine the rage. Generally in terms of his game, Simeone played well, he did his job at least. Moving the ball, specifically switching the ball, he executed in a consistent manner. He dribbled well, creating ample amount of space for his team, and moved tirelessly from attack to defense. His movement was fine but in terms of defense he seemed lazy. You may now ask yourself, how could this man be capable of a lackluster defense job. Well…I’m just as confused as you are. He was lazy in his tackles and general desire to take the ball of his opponents. That to me does not sound like Simeone.
Alas, football can be cruel. Desperately, Argentina clinged to their pride swallowing the full 5 goals, ending in a booing from their own fans. Colombia eventually found their rhythm after the third goal, commencing their true and classy style of possession football. And as the game progressed and Colombia began outclassing their opponents, Simeone was found resorting to dirty football. The mark of a footballer desperate for a goal, a breakthrough, anything to diffuse the humiliation and sadness of the onlookers, decked in blue and white. Poor majestic Valderrama found his feet and legs hacked as he carefully and patiently maneuvered the ball, the main prosecutor Simeone. And he was even shown a yellow card for insinuating an altercation with el Pibe himself.
I can’t imagine how depressing the referee’s ending whistle was for el Cholo. The poor man was beaten by Colombia, a defeat bordering on annihilation, the mighty Argentina uncertain for next year’s World Cup. How would he react now, if he, like me, rewatched this game? I leave the reader with this question, in hopes that they empathize with the cruelty that football can many times bring.
