Global Courant
It was in the South American that takes place in Paraguay in which the National Team thrashed Uruguay. Basile asked the boys for more goals, but none charged.
The sequence could be that of any football match in which one team scores and the other, helpless due to the lack of goals, puts their foot down. Mainly if the one who wins, in addition, tries some firulete of those that when things are even, do not usually emerge. And that is what was happening when in the South American sub 17 futsal match Argentina beat Uruguay 5-0 with plenty of time to play.
It was in this context that coach Santiago Basile asked for a minute to speak with his managers. He did not ask for them to shore up some tactical aspect, not to correct mistakes. Much less to propose a specific play or outline an idea. He spoke to the players about something that goes beyond the ball, about things that have to do with the integrity of people.
“This is the moment to play, to move the ball. This is not the time to load, to throw pipes or to get into stupid friction. We respect our rival and the best way to do it is to keep scoring goals, keep competing, ”Basile remarked to his team.
What was happening? Ten minutes of the second half had been consumed and Uruguay could not discount and began to put more than necessary, something that the Argentines responded with some fantasy.
“I don’t get into friction of wanting to step on the ball, in little pipes, because that does not go with us. These are the moments we have to show that we came to compete. Respect the values of the National Team, playing and scoring goals. Is it clear? Come on, go ahead, ”Basile threw and the boys got the message
The match valid for the third date of the South American that takes place in Asunción, ended 6-0 with two goals from Thiago Argañaraz and the rest from Lucas Granda, Matías Soñer, Lautaro Martínez and Santino Pavazza.
The sub 17 Argentina had debuted last Sunday with another resounding 3-0 victory over Peru and on Wednesday they will face Ecuador, in another match in zone B.
Who is Santiago Basile?
Basile, in the center, the day he signed as Sub 17 coach. AFA press photo
Basile was World Champion in 2016 and runner-up in 2021 and is the player with the most titles in the Argentine National Team and the one with the most appearances. He took over the leadership of the Sub17 at the beginning of the year, while his active career continues in parallel: he is a Boca player and during the competition, he faces many of the boys that he summons in his role as coach.
His link with the national team came at the age of 16, when he was called up for the first time at the end of 2007. During his journey, he incorporated the values that he set out in the minute he asked to prevent the game from getting out of hand.
As a coach, he always led in training: he leads in inferiors and in reserve. However, since before the pandemic he had stopped doing it. In April, he signed his link with AFA to command the Sub 17 in a work team that has Matías Lucuix in charge of the major and as head of the project, which also has Damián Stazzone in the Sub 20.