The Argentinean World Cup Promise
Corrientes, Argentina, 2023
The gaucho, a sort of Argentine cowboy donning a horse and wearing a traditional poncho, is a national symbol in Argentina. Gauchito Gil is the most popular gaucho and is deeply rooted in the country's identity. Dead more than a century ago, every year, hundreds of thousands of people gather at his shrine to thank him for the favors granted and participate in a roadside ceremony.
Before the beginning of the World Cup, the coaching staff of the Argentine football team sent a t-shirt of Julian Alvarez (who scored two goals in the semifinal) to the shrine of Gauchito Gil in Corrientes as an offering and a request for him to bless Argentina's performance. Hundreds of fans also promised to visit his shrine if Argentina won the championship.
This is a story that mixes Argentinean tradition, folklore, passion for soccer and our need to hold on to promises and popular saints to feel supported. In a context of political and economic crisis, soccer had the magic to bring us all together for a common dream, to be champions of the world.
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The gaucho, a sort of Argentine cowboy donning a horse and wearing a traditional poncho, is a national symbol in Argentina. Gauchito Gil is the most popular gaucho and is deeply rooted in the country's identity. Dead more than a century ago, every year, hundreds of thousands of people gather at his shrine to thank him for the favors granted and participate in a roadside ceremony.
Before the beginning of the World Cup, the coaching staff of the Argentine football team sent a t-shirt of Julian Alvarez (who scored two goals in the semifinal) to the shrine of Gauchito Gil in Corrientes as an offering and a request for him to bless Argentina's performance. Hundreds of fans also promised to visit his shrine if Argentina won the championship.
This is a story that mixes Argentinean tradition, folklore, passion for soccer and our need to hold on to promises and popular saints to feel supported. In a context of political and economic crisis, soccer had the magic to bring us all together for a common dream, to be champions of the world.
[spanish]