Today is my second day as European and World Champion in football and basketball; a situation gained last Sunday and which will last, at least, until September. I must admit it is a very good feeling, one feels like flying 10 cm over the ground. Our bonds and our finances might not be the best ones in the world but our football and basketball national teams are.
What happened on Sunday night was not easy to swallow. After an agonic game, after 116 minutes we scored a goal and, at least in my case, a huge burden left me: the burden of always losing when victory was deserved, the burden of so many past disappointments; in one word, the burden of the losers. The four minutes from 116 to 120 seemed to last four weeks. Some tears also came out as, believe me, winning a World Cup was something I never expected to see in my life. It is so difficult, so many things can go wrong and send you home, that almost seems unachievable to me.
It is obvious that football is today the most important exhibition of nationalism and also an extraordinary and powerful element for coherence, fraternity and brotherhood. All these feelings are even greater if living abroad, as it is currently my case. I watched the game at Instituto Cervantes with a lot of countrymates, following an invitation of our Consulate. The video above tries to keep the moment where the cup was given to Casillas:
From a wider point of view, it seems that the new generation of Spanish sportmen (and sportwomen) has left behing old fears and are now extra-competitive. Gasol, Contador, Nadal, Alonso,... are just examples of this new generation, which shows the best that our society can produce (as opposted to politicians): they are competitive, hard-working, relatively cultivated, cheerful, and kind. Just somebody to be proud of.
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