Sporting Life

In a tense World Cup, every night is an emotional ride

Felipe Baloy scoring Panama's first World Cup goal in their 6-1 loss to England on Sunday.
Felipe Baloy scoring Panama's first World Cup goal in their 6-1 loss to England on Sunday. PHOTO: REUTERS
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Something is torn inside Rodolfo Pazos and you can see it on his face. He hasn't been sleeping a lot because he has a new baby, matches are late and right now he's from the wrong nation. He's Argentinian and he's sad. Actually, "really, really sad". He wants to turn the TV set off against Croatia - yet, somehow, he can't. Faith and hope, you understand.

Pazos, a colleague, isn't like us, he's not some convenient fan who follows Lionel Messi because it's fashionable. He's a Buenos Aires boy, born to football, who remembers celebrating with his uncle on the Avenida del Libertador in 1986 when that Maradona guy won this trophy that everyone lives for.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 26, 2018, with the headline In a tense World Cup, every night is an emotional ride. Subscribe