@SimonRAnderson We were in AKL for second wk of school holidays. Went into a store and they had a “traffic count” sheet running. Each day for that week it was 2, 3,2,2,2.
Fernando Torres on Argentina’s aggression during the FIFA World Cup final against Spain.
🗣️ “Argentina didn’t lose the World Cup because Spain were untouchable. They lost because they completely lost control of themselves. The moment football disappeared and anger took over, the final was over.”
“I watched players wasting energy surrounding the referee, arguing over every decision, provoking opponents and letting frustration consume them. That’s not the mentality of champions. That’s panic.”
“A World Cup final isn’t a street fight. It’s ninety minutes of discipline, intelligence and composure. Spain kept their heads. Argentina lost theirs, and that’s exactly why only one team lifted the trophy.”
“Every unnecessary confrontation, every reckless reaction and every emotional outburst pushed Argentina further away from the trophy. They weren’t fighting Spain anymore—they were fighting themselves.”
“The badge on your chest doesn’t give you permission to lose your discipline. The biggest players in football know when to stay calm. Argentina forgot that at the worst possible moment.”
“When your emotions become bigger than your football, you’ve already handed your opponent an advantage. Spain didn’t need Argentina to make tactical mistakes—Argentina destroyed their own rhythm.”
“Champions don’t spend the final chasing arguments. They chase the ball. Spain stayed obsessed with winning. Argentina became obsessed with everything except the football.”
“If you can’t control your temper on the biggest night of your career, don’t be surprised when the trophy ends up in someone else’s hands. The World Cup rewards composure, not chaos.”
“People will talk about Spain’s quality, but I’ll always believe Argentina’s greatest opponent that night wasn’t Spain. It was their own lack of discipline. They gave away the one thing no champion can afford to lose in a World Cup final their composure.”
Argentina may not yet realise the lasting image they left behind after that final against Spain and it is difficult to see how they will ever repair it.
The footage of players and coaching staff physically confronting and attacking opponents on the pitch is deeply disturbing and impossible to excuse.
They did not just lose a World Cup final. They damaged the reputation of their football in front of the entire world.
Football will remember what Argentina did long after the result itself is forgotten.
@ViQueenie Where was the statement though? The headline makes out she issued a statement about the meeting but it was to do with her buying a nomination
@matt_horncastle Just spent two days in Auckland Central. It’s been a long time since we’ve last been there. We all agreed, it’s just a shite hole now.