A hurried metro ride – where merrymaking Argentines create quite an obstacle to run down the escalator – and a shared bus ride (driven by a Malayali driver) with three strangers take you to the deserted Qatar University, the students enjoying a much-needed winter break. But as you near one of the many training pitches inside the campus after a five-minute-long drive, you could suddenly see a sea of people, the security doing their best dealing with anxious journalists.
As you jostle to get your seat in the hastily constructed media tribune, you could see Rodrigo de Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Paolo Dybala and a host of other Argentina players going through the passing drill under the watchful eyes of Lionel Scaloni. But the other Lionel is nowhere in sight. But Angel di Matia, who had missed the last three matches, is there and should be available for the clash against France.
The University campus has been Argentina’s home away from home in Qatar. The team stayed in the guest house and used the facilities here, while the other 31 teams had picked one of the many luxurious resorts and hotels dotting Doha.
The University, with three swimming pools, including an Olympic pool, a multi-activity central court, volleyball, handball, basketball, futsal, tennis courts, a stadium with football field and athletics track and a fitness and rehabilitation centre made an ideal choice for the South American champion, which was looking for a place away from the limelight but inside the city at an easy drivable distance from all the stadiums.
As the 15-minute open training session continued there were no signs of Messi, but there was a familiar face sharing the bench with Nicolas Otamendi and Leandro Parades. Sergio Aguero, a year after his sudden retirement, was present at the training to motivate his friends ahead of the biggest match.
Ishraque Ahmad was presented with a signed Argentina jersey by Messi. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Also around, is a group of boisterous Indians and Bangladeshis. Chefs, kitchen helps, house-keeping personnel – they have been looking after Team Messi for the past month. They have been a constant at every Argentine training session, ensuring the World Cup finalists don’t miss the fandom and madness associated with the country’s football.
The Argentines, too, have been appreciative of this love and warmth. The team presented all the staff with a gift set decked in Argentine colours.
Ishraque Ahmad from Mumbai has been in Doha for two years and he says he is living his dream every day. “The whole team has treated us like family. I also spoke with Messi, their captain. He speaks in broken English, and he is a very humble person and talks nicely with everyone,” Ahmad says. His most-prized possession now is a picture with the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and a jersey signed by him.
The story is same for one of the catering staff, who has been helping the two Argentine chefs who have travelled with the team. “They usually have a late breakfast and then spend some time in the gym. Training usually starts post lunch,” he says.
The team had a low-key celebration with family after the semifinal victory over Croatia. “They had dinner with their families at the club house and there was soft music,” Jamil says.
The support from the subcontinental diaspora has lent this Argentine team extra energy here and coach Scaloni, too, had earlier voiced his appreciation: “For years the National Team shirt has transmitted madness throughout the world, because we had Diego (Maradona), now we have Leo (Messi). It makes us happy that there are people in Bangladesh and many other places standing up for us.”
And when Argentina takes on France at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday, their Indian and Bangladeshi support staff would be rooting for them, happy to have played a small but important part in this team’s historical journey.
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