A new year starts. The second that the Argentine National Team celebrates as World Champion. And from here until the next World Cup 2026 ends, every January 1st at 00:00, the Argentines will continue to “raise the cup” referring to the Qatar title. That is, if there is a new owner of the title, if not, the ritual will continue to be repeated for eight years.
Within hours of the arrival of 2024, the AFA posted a video with the best memories of the cycle led by Lionel Scaloni. “This Sunday, everyone raise your glass“, starts the clip that immediately shows an image of Dibu Martínez flying to save a penalty in the Qatar 2022 final: “… raise the cup for those who spent the year flying.”
Lionel Messi only appears in the third image: “Those who were received with honors,” says the announcer. In the background, Leo receives the bisht, the traditional cape he wore when he was crowned “King of Arabia.”
Just over a year after winning the Qatar World Cup, which ended on December 18, 2022, the post reviews all the highlights of the Scaloneta. But also the hardest moments.
“Raise the glass, those who saw it black,” and shows the score marking 1-2 against Saudi Arabia, “those who left the ghosts behind.”
“Those who stayed afloat, because they never gave up”, in clear reference to Messi’s countless attempts to reach the goal.
There is a phrase from the Copa América that remains in everyone’s memory: “The cartoon couldn’t do anything to his daughter,” says Messi because the National Team’s goalkeeper had been Ava’s father, in the middle of the tournament. And the AFA video makes an immediate link: “Those who lifted her in her arms for the first time.”
More epic than tears, the AFA video moves and invites us to continue raising glasses: “May this 2024, let’s go for another one,” it ends.