With only one stage left in the Volta a Catalunya 2024, the captain strengthened his leadership in the general classification of the race
Among the many Argentinians at the Lusail Stadium ahead of the South American giants’ opening game against Saudi Arabia at the Qatar World Cup, there was one with a guitar in his hand.
He was not among his countrymen who were singing and beating drums at the stadium, creating an unbelievable atmosphere. Instead, Nicolas and his friends were sitting quietly holding their guitars. They have been invited to the Fifa World Cup to play music for the Argentina matches.
“We have arrived here on Saturday. We are here for four matches, all Argentina matches,’ he told this reporter at the Lusail Stadium, which will also host the final on December 18.
“As a musician, it’s my first World Cup. It’s amazing. It’s a dream come true.” Nicolas, a die-hard supporter of Argentinian club Racing, says he is loving every moment in Qatar.
“Qatar is amazing. I can’t believe [it]. I am from Argentina; being here, seeing all the buildings and the people. I am crazy about this (place),” he said.
Argentina is now is in the throes of football fever as the national team attempt to win their third World Cup, and the first with the talismanic Lionel Messi.
“In Argentina, we love football. It’s our culture, our religion. We had Maradona and now we have Messi. So imagine, it’s crazy for us. We love football you know; football is everything,” he said.
Nicolas hoped that this would not be the last World Cup for the 35-year-old Messi.
So what are his expectations from the team in Qatar?
“The expectations from me is to win it. We have to go step by step and see what happens. Nobody wants to say that we are going to win because it could bring bad luck,” he said.
Finally, Nicolas was lost for words when asked about the huge number of Indian fans as well as fans from other countries, including Saudi Arabia, that turned up at the Lusail Stadium, wearing Argentina colours to support Messi and his team on Tuesday.
“I can’t believe it to tell you the truth. Being here, now I know how big Messi is,” he said.
“It’s crazy. I can’t believe [it]. I don’t know what to say.”
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