The last time that Argentina played a football tournament in the United States somebody cut the Diego legs. It was late afternoon of June 25, 1994 at Foxboro Stadium in Boston, when a blonde nurse, took Diego Maradona hand and carried him to the doping control. The end of the known story will have possible revenge when, exactly 22 years and one day later, the final of the American Cup is going to be played at New Jersey.
Already without the left foot of Maradona, but with the talent of Lionel Messi, more than 40 millon of Argentineans are waiting for that national happiness, specialy in this sport, that no occurs since 1993. Despite of the internal conflict into the headquarters of the Argentinean Football Association, and also with the problems that Messi had with his financial situation in Spain, the illusion is again renewed.
Several tournaments passed with unforgetable and sad finals. In 1997 Argentina played with local players, in 1999 Martín Palermo missed three penalties, in 2001 the team did not go to Colombia due to the armed conflict that had the host country. One misstep after another like in the World Cups because in 1998 Dennis Bergkamp silenced an entire country a few minutes before the end of the match, in 2002 the team was eliminated during the first round and in 2014 another final against Germany was lost.
However the dream to obtain this American Cup is more alive than ever. The initial group is not so hard: Chile, Bolivia and Panama invites the illusion for Gerardo Martino´s team to go for the trophy that Argentina is still waiting for more than two decades. The night before de final will be exactly 22 years of that afternoon where someone cut the legs to Diego. It is time for another worldwide football genius with a 10 in his back to take revenge. In Messi we trust.
