TEARS OF JOY Argentina supporter never fazed during tense semi-final

For Argentina supporter Troy Bailey, Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final delivered tears twice.

The first were tears of pain as his beloved side struggled to find the back of the net, but the second set flowed down after the team’s dramatic late comeback to make it through to the finals. Though Bailey admitted he had to step away from the television when the match was no longer looking promising, he told THE STAR that his final emotions stretched far beyond the final result.

“You see true mi know a Messi last World Cup so every match him play mi kinda break out in tears,” he said.

Even before the end, Bailey had already been singled out by rival supporters gathered around the television as the man most likely to cry. Known by the alias ‘Oti’, his nickname echoed through Pearnel Charles Arcade every time England threatened the Argentine goal. One person told THE STAR that Bailey is the biggest Argentina supporter they know, and they were convinced that he has cried during every Argentina World Cup match. But Bailey is not like Ricardo Pearce, a man now named around the market as ‘Switchy Switchy’.

“Mi is a Germany supporter and from them drop out mi switch side based on who buy the biggest drink for the day. So it was England because they bought me a water and now Argentina buy me something bigger,” he laughed.

England found the net first and as the clock was winding down, many inside the market believed the South Americans’ journey had reached its end.

“Go home, go home... a today unu a go home so unu ago cry today, skin the goat,” rival supporters shouted, referencing Messi, who is considered the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.).

Bailey, however, was never tempted. Even after slipping outside the arcade to compose himself, he returned to reclaim his spot in front of the television, refusing to let the jeers shake him.

“Dem been a say a wi final day from the World Cup start. Mi use to them and mi nuh watch the noise of the market ... but we are all salespeople so we don’t take it personal it’s just the love of the sports,” he said.

Bailey stood closest to a television perched atop a barrel, dressed head to toe in Argentina colours, complete with a blue and white hat. With clenched fists and eyes fixed on the screen, he at times fell to his knee, kissed the screen and the most important move for him that day was a signal of prayer moments before Argentina scored.

“Mi just say ‘Father God, a baby them, so show we say a baby them’,” he said.

Like Bailey, fellow Argentina loyalist Devando Murphy also found himself overwhelmed with emotion. His tears came after Argentina found the breakthrough.

“It’s just the love mi have for the side, enuh. Mi love the side from long time because of them dedication, so anytime you see it come down to the final minutes and them start run, just know say the pressure cooker burst,” he said.

Ironically, it was England supporter Michael Beckford who had confidently declared that the pressure cooker would instead be used to prepare curry goat in celebration of what he believed would be Messi’s final World Cup match.

“Mi get it in my dream that the match a done 3-1. Argentina is going home. This is after making love to my woman, I went to bed and I dreamt, so it’s 3-1.”

Beckford celebrated loudly throughout the first half and remained convinced, right up until the 85th minute, that Argentina had finally run out of miraculous comebacks. The joy came for the approximately 20 Argentina supporters who were watching, as they produced yet another dramatic turnaround to secure a 2-1 victory.

Admitting afterward that “not all dreams walked straight”, Beckford could only laugh along with fellow vendors as the market erupted around him.

Murphy, meanwhile, insisted he never truly lost faith, despite the mounting tension. Walking through the arcade before the comeback, he repeatedly warned doubters,”Dem ago find it, mi know mi side like the back of my hand.”

After Argentina completed the turnaround, Murphy said the tears were of pride rather than relief.

“Mi cry fi show the world how mi side great, show them how mi side come back, that’s why mi was crying. When mi side come back, mi start fi cry, not when them done. You see the love them have fi dem one another? A that a win the World Cup,” he said.

Argentina will play Spain in Sunday’s final.