The Argentine economy may be in the process of sinking, but the entire country is vibrant and celebrating its national team, which was led by star Lionel Messi to the 2022 World Cup final.
It seems that the dream of Argentina winning its third world title in its history - and the first 36 years after its last World Cup football achievement - has forgotten the Argentines - at least for the time being - about their problems and crises.
The symbolism of the number three seems very great today, not because Messi and his comrades sought to add a third star to the national team’s shirt to denote winning the World Cup three times only;
Rather, because these sporting achievements derive their status from the fact that they come at a time when the country is witnessing a rise in the phenomenon of inflation, which has caused great damage to the economic sector.
And the Argentine national team, led by its legendary star Lionel Messi - last Tuesday - achieved an outright victory over Croatia (3-0), to reach the final match of the World Cup for the sixth time in its history, and the second in the last 3 versions of the tournament.
Numerous reports indicate that the inflation rate in the country will approach 100% by the end of the year 2022, and the Argentine National Institute of Statistics and Census published the price index for the month of November, which showed an increase of about 6%, indicating that the inflation rate that reached by calculating the twelve months The latter is 88%. It is not slowing down, but proceeding at a high pace, two weeks before the end of this year.
High poverty rates
Inflation rates in Argentina are constantly rising, as they have exceeded 10% for decades, but that economic crisis did not prevent many Argentines from feeling that what Messi and his companions are achieving in the World Cup can alleviate the tragedies of millions, in a country that suffers more than 40 percent of its population out of poverty.
Before the start of the World Cup in Qatar, Argentine Labor Minister Kelly Olmos answered a question about whether reducing the inflation rate was more important than winning the World Cup by saying, "We have to work constantly to combat inflation, but one month will not make much difference."
"On the other hand, from a moral point of view, and given what it means to Argentines, we want Argentina to be crowned champion, the Argentine people deserve some joy," Olmos continued. As expected, the minister's remarks caused a torrent of criticism.
And Minister of Justice Olmos recalled Argentina's first World Cup win in 1978 when the military dictatorial regime ruled the country, and said, "We were under dictatorial rule and oppressed, and we did not know what tomorrow held, but Argentina won the title, so we went out to celebrate in the streets, and then we returned after that to reality." which was bitter."
Argentines live in difficult social and economic conditions, with the average wage in the country being $390 (Reuters).
But despite the difficult conditions, Argentines gather around television screens in large numbers to watch their national team's matches, whether in bars, homes, or even in the "fan zone" in Buenos Aires, and most of them are unable to afford the cost of buying a ticket to Qatar, as the average wage is In Argentina, 66,500 pesos ($390).
In a statement to the French Press Agency after Argentina's victory over the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, Lucrezia Brediger, a 38-year-old hospital worker, said that "people are fully aware of the problems", but the paths of football and economic conditions are "parallel and do not converge."
And she continued, "Many people need this joy, and they celebrate to the fullest, but they realize that it is nothing but football, and they are fully aware of the problems that surround them. Do not think that they are stupid."
Temporary joy
For his part, designer Tony Molfesi believes that Argentina's victory will be a source of "relief, an outlet and joy, even if temporary, and we deserve that."
Despite the great passion for it, football remains just a game, according to writer Ariel Sher, a university lecturer and football expert.
Sher said, "Football gives joy to individuals and the community, but it is a temporary joy and does not eliminate other problems."
"It's like a boy passing an exam: we're happy, but it doesn't pay the bills," Scheer stressed, stressing that football's strength lies in that it "can give us temporary and eternal happiness at the same time."
Argentina's first star, Lionel Messi, has the confidence of the majority of the Argentine people (Reuters)
In a poll conducted last November, more than 75% of Argentines believed that the Argentine national team's victory in the World Cup could raise the morale of the people, while about 32% of the respondents said that the results of the national team in the World Cup Qatar 2022 will affect the upcoming presidential elections. which will take place after ten months.
But political science expert Raul Aragon ridicules this proposition, and believes that "regardless of what happens in the final match next Sunday (between Argentina and France), the societal mood will return to what it was, and no political force can take advantage of a football victory."
Argentina won the FIFA World Cup on two occasions;
And that was in 1978 when it hosted the finals and 1986 in Mexico. It also reached the final on three occasions: in 1930, 1990 and 2014, in addition to the final of the current edition of Qatar 2022, which will compete for its title with France next Sunday, at Lusail Stadium.