June 30, 2006, 5 p.m. Let's go to the Olympiastadion in Berlin! Argentina in the blue Mundial 86 jersey is deployed in a 4-4-2 diamond, led by number 10 by Juan Román Riquelme. In his role ashitch (in Spanish, the player who ensures the creative link between midfield and attack), he must provide the Crespo-Tévez pair with precise balls. Riquelme embodies renewal albiceleste of the coach José Pékerman who advocates a game of possession close to the toquepunctuated by dazzling accelerations. In 2006, The Prof praises his game leader: « Modern Football is producing more and more sprinters. Unfortunately, we see less and less footballers like Riquelme, people who understand everything that is happening around them faster than others. » But at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, packed with 70,000 spectators, Argentina is mainly in fighter mode, stifling the offensive desires of a team driven by Jürgen Klinsmann. Michael Ballack, Bayern's strategist, rarely escapes the Argentinian pincers and with Miroslav Klose missing, an entire team is running into the void and multiplying mistakes. Multiplying the passes to wear down the opponent, theAlbiceleste leads in points at halftime with 65% possession, but without having scored. From the 49eon a calibrated corner taken by Riquelme, Roberto Ayala (1.77m) catapults with a cannon header the ball which flies between Jens Lehmann and Philipp Lahm: 1-0!
Conducted for the first time since the start of the tournament, the team takes the blow… The Whites react by forcefully investing the Argentine camp. But they break their teeth on a well grouped block and the predictable sequence of aerial balls “ German style » centered in the box from Bastian Schweinsteiger's corner reflects their helplessness. Despite the invigorating entry of the David Odonkor rocket at 62e and the half-volley blocked by a too feverish Ballack, Argentina launches a few attacks, just to create the threat of a break. At the 70eArgentinian goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri, injured in the hip, is replaced by Leonardo Franco. In the following minute, Schweinsteiger directly hits a senseless free kick from 35 meters: the ball flies into the sky of disillusionment. Germany seems to no longer believe it. At 71e minute, José Pékerman then brings out Juan Riquelme for Esteban Cambiasso whose more defensive profile should cement an Argentine block which will only have 18 minutes to hold…
The uchronistic moment: Riquelme stays!
Before recalling Riquelme to the bench and launching Cambiasso, José Pékerman then quickly took advice from his two assistants, Hugo Tocalli (58 years old) and Néstor Lorenzo (40 years old). The latter approves the replacement in order to preserve Romy, used entirely during the four previous matches (except the last 10 minutes against the Orange in group, 0-0) with a view to a contested half most certainly against the formidable Italy, favorite in their quarter against Ukraine the same evening at 9 p.m. Lorenzo, however, suggests the entry of Pablo Aimar in place of Juan Román, with a similar register of playmaker. But Hugo Tocalli, the elder, decides clearly: removing Riquelme would destabilize the balance of the team well in place. Romy still has it under his belt and that would send a message of weakness to Klinsmann and his wise deputy, Joachim Löw. José Pékerman is then convinced: Romy stays. Cambiasso will not be the substitute dear to Vikash Dharasoo.
Better ! Coach José brings Lionel Messi in at 80e in place of Crespo, immediately sowing discord in the opposing camp. At the 89e, the Flea even provokes a free kick on a gross foul by Mertesacker 20 meters from Jens Lehmann's goal. An ideal distance for Riquelme, specialist in direct free kicks. Flashback… On April 26, in the C1 semi-return, Villarreal-Arsenal (1-0 for the Gunners in the first leg), Romy had seen his penalty rejected by the German goalkeeper, precipitating the elimination of the Yellow Submarine (0-0)… JRR hits the Adidas Teamgeist ball which spins above the wall to fall into a dead leaf in Lehmann's right corner: 2-0! Hands wide open over her ears, Romy celebrates her revenge under the telluric clamor of fans and cries of joy from the bench albiceleste : Argentina is in the semi-finals! In the last minute of regulation time, Ballack crosses for Tim Borowski who deflects with a header for Klose, scorer with a powerful helmet shot from 6 meters: 2-1! It's the 5the goal of “Miro”. The last of the competition for the teameliminated from “his” World Cup…
Epilogue:
In his post-match conference, Jürgen Klinsmann, very affected, presented his resignation which he declared “ irrevocable “. Angela Merkel congratulates “an exciting Nationalmannschaft which gave our people the pride of being German, while advocating the wealth of a beautiful multicultural nation”. Uli Hoeness, general manager of Bayern who described the national team as “ disastrous » before the World Cup, preferred to remain silent, while as an impartial organizer, Franz Beckenbauer sportingly greeted Argentina's qualification. On Monday July 3, the German federation announced the expected name of Joachim Löw as new coach, “in order to continue the promising directions led by Jürgen Klinsmann”. On Tuesday July 4, the Argentina-Italy semi-final in Dortmund, hosted by 20,000 Argentine supporters transported by an airlift and equipped with tickets bought from disappointed German fans, turned to the advantage of the South Americans (1-1 and 4 -3 TAB). Hernán Crespo (11e) had responded to an early goal from Luca Toni (6e), Daniele De Rossi and Fabio Grosso failing on penalties against Leo Franco, hero of the game.
Back in Berlin, at the Olympiastadion, on Sunday July 9 for the final against France, winner of Portugal in the semi-finals (1-0), Argentina starts with the surprising start of Messi! The long-awaited duel at the top of number 10 between Zidane and Riquelme keeps all its promises. ZZ is at the origin of Malouda's goal, launched from deep (1-0, 70e), and on the equalizer, Romy served Messi after a perforating one-two in the tricolor area (1-1, 85e). In extra time, a header from Zidane under the bar from a cross from Willy Sagnol gave the Blues their second star (103e2-1 final). Celebrating the victory, Raymond Domenech speaks at the microphone of TF1 “the favorable astral conjunction, aligned with Aquarius » rather than the glorious end of Zidane, for whom it was his last match. Sir Alex Ferguson had time to corner Riquelme, whom he has been coveting for a while: he will join Manchester United this summer! The last word for Lionel Scaloni, Argentinian defender replacing during this World Cup: « Tonight I'm not disappointed, because I know that with Leo Messi, Argentina will be world champions again. »
France still trails Argentina in the FIFA rankings
