Four years ago, sat on the steps of Gelsenkirchen, wondering why the child should be so great, Lionel Messi will not play. Then I saw Maxi Rodriguez to win the ball by hitting it with Gabriel Heinze. I saw the ball go Heinze, Javier Mascherano. Mascherano Juan Roman Riquelme saw square. Then I saw another 22 assists and, finally, to prepare Esteban Cambiasso, Argentina 2-0 Serbia and Montenegro.
• Argentina-Germany preview
Forty minutes later and some doors, I even saw Messi in person for the first time to deliver to the Max, immediately created the fourth and later scored Argentina's sixth and last of the afternoon. In front of us, leapt to life in Argentina, Diego Maradona and Lucky breathing down and waving his handkerchief.
As we approached our car after the final whistle, I realized that the World Cup was over, after every seven days. can publish a page that gives people like Messi, Carlos Tevez and Pablo Aimar on the bench and continue playing football, of course won the tournament more or less in passing.
Of course, I was not entirely serious. (Hey, I'm German. I know they are wonderful football and won a trophy, if not now exclude each other, at least often incompatible.) But I think there was no way Germany could these guys in the last quarter of compression ties which now seemed likely.
In fact, I was wrong. Two weeks later, Maradona did not have enough tickets for their companions and large what he perceives as a lack of respect given so angry he decided to stay in his hotel room and sulk. Bouder while his beloved Argentina played Germany in Berlin, conceded a late goal and eventually lost on penalties.
Maradona was not the famous manifesto of Argentina only by their absence that day. In my column after the matches, said: "I think the World Cup is going with the likes of Messi and Saviola on the bench must be like losing the pot of gold at the sensation Wants To Be A Millionaire Who? Two pranksters untapped .
In short, the output of Argentina four years ago, saw, felt and seemed incomplete to me. And now, as if someone had this script, the two sides meet again in the quarterfinals. So do after playing your game the most impressive of the moon many (in the case of Germany) and after beating Mexico (in the case of Argentina). They also act as necessary for entertaining and attacking game of the tournament so far - even though both have an absurd decision of the arbitrator in the second round to get there.
Those of you believe, the destination, you will surely find that all this was inevitable, while Argentina would have a second chance - with Maradona and Messi with defaults. And you will understand why I have chosen these words preview of the tournament, is published on the World Cup began, "I have the feeling that it is payback time. Not in spite of all these jokes Maradona, but thanks to them.
Hm Well, it seems too good to Germany then, right? I mean, I was aware that sometimes make a wrong prediction, but this is not what you need, and I count on him. But wait, maybe there is a way out.
Approximately two weeks after the game Serbia, a reader, under the name "placedetine" accused me of Paris, in so many words, shielding, adding that was the mark of a professional. It was a compliment ambiguous, I suppose, but the writers have no choice. I will try to interpret my words differently today, and I need Thomas Müller.
Muller, one of this tournament is the most consistent player and impressive, which made its debut in Germany in March - against Argentina. After the match, Miller, Toni Kroos, was chosen to represent the team in the conference. He sat in silence on the right side of the interpreter.
What Maradona said the interpreter, to obtain an AFA official Muller out of the room suddenly. After a brief, but without success between the agent and an obvious confusion Harald Stenger, director of Germany's relations with the media, and Maradona had gone on.
A few minutes later, Muller, Stenger and performer surprised, Maradona back, sat down and explained the bizarre incident, the journalist confused by the now legendary words: "I did not know he is a player!"
He continued that, normally, only the coach to attend these events immediately after a game. If this is not a reasonable explanation of his conduct, the incident has been widely regarded as embarrassing and symptomatic. The issue was a symptom of what?
Some saw it as proof of incompetence Maradona as coach, and he did not recognize a player who had just seen his team for 67 minutes. Others felt that it embodies, how insignificant and little on the international scene in the readers of Germany were known.
In any case, if the star of Saturday's game would be Messi, but Muller? It is a world celebrity, but a 20-year-old with the banal, especially German name, ask the television interview after the England game politely if he could "say hello, both my grandmother and my grandfather was end "?
What if Maradona sit in the press conference after the game and look back one day to Mars, which could show a little respect most? Well, it would undoubtedly be "Payback Time".
Oh, I'm not willing to accept this second scenario as quite possible. Even if the young German team a great pleasure for us in recent weeks, I should have - or "still"? - You can not see beyond the press in Argentina. Perhaps because I learned that wonderful football and won a trophy, if not entirely mutually exclusive, are often incompatible, at least not yet. Or perhaps they just lack faith.
