Argentina's players celebrate with supporters after defeating Croatia 3-0 in the Qatar 2022 World Cup football semi-final match between Argentina and Croatia at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on December 13, 2022. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
Doha: The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has been quite scintillating in every way, with fans of each of the 32 participating teams adding to the unparallel excitement both on and off the field.
From the glamorous and colorful Senegalese fans with their bright green, yellow, and red body paint, with each letter of the country's name written on their bellies, to the vociferous Moroccan supporters and the die-hard fans of England and, of course, Wales; down to the boisterous South Americans with their never-ending fever-pitch chants; venues of the World Cup in Qatar have never fallen short of animated atmospheres since the tournament began.
In the midst of the many competing voices, however, one unique group has stood out since the tournament kicked off on November 20 at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor - the Albiceleste fans with their "Muchachos, ahora nos volvimo' a ilusionar" song (Boys, We Have Our Hopes Up Again) - a song by the Argentine nine-piece band, La Moscas, which is sang almost non-stop at every match involving the Lionel Messi-led team.
"Muchachos, ahora nos volvimo' a ilusionar is our anthem and our way. We are here to do our thing in the stands while the players do theirs on the field. We are all working together with one mind and one purpose: bringing the World Cup trophy back to Buenos Aires after a long time. We are determined, and we hope that lady luck smiles on us come Sunday at the final match," says Eduardo Hernandez, a 39-year-old Argentine supporter from Rosario, the hometown of Messi, the Argentine captain and seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.
With drums, trumpets, and untiring vocal chords, the Argentine supporters have brought their decades-long dedication to football to the stadiums of Qatar in a way never seen before.
The atmosphere is nothing short of exhilarating when the Argentine army of supporters, dressed in white and blue, boisterously belt out the lyrics of the famous song, intermittently interspersed with other chants such as "Vamos Argentina" (Go Argentina).
"Muchachos, ahora nos volvimo' a ilusionar" which has become a rallying cry for the two-time World Cup-winning nation and their 40,000-strong supporters, is actually a re-work of a 2003 song that was originally titled "Muchachos, Esta Noche Me Emborracho."
Adding glamour to the chant of the song is the unique repetitive "salute" that accompanies the melodious tune, with each of the army of supporters choreographing it seamlessly and simultaneously like a well-oiled machine.
Regardless of whether they score, concede, possess the ball, or lose it, the deafening sound of the Argentinian fans is a permanent fixture through the 90 minutes of play and beyond. It is relentless.
"Football is our passion." We live, eat, and breathe football. That's why you see a lot of us here, and it is for the same reason why we can never get tired of chanting and singing in support of our darling team. "We plan to do more when we hopefully lift the trophy at the end of the final," Alexis Rodriguez, another Argentine fan, said.
Whether the Lionel Scaloni-coached team wins the first World Cup tournament in the Middle East and their first in 36 years or not, on December 18, they will have proven to be the untiring force propelling their darling team to victory, and Qatar will never forget them in a hurry.
Vamos, vamos, Argentina!
