You call it a "football blessing" to play (and lose) a final at the Maracana
Do we understand what happened here? Or perhaps a few thousand kilometers away from our country? In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the legendary Maracana! The temple of football hosted a Greek team, the "babies" of Olympiakos U19 (and holders of the Youth League), in the final of the intercontinental cup, where they met Flamengo U20, winner of last year's Copa Libertadores, of the corresponding age category.
𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐬 ⚽️🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/WVubERMqgF
— Olympiacos FC (@olympiacosfc) August 24, 2024
The photo of the entrance to the Maracana pitch took us back to the 1960s, when the "legend" was entering dry pitches and defending his legend. This is the magic of football. No matter how many cameras are added to television productions, no matter how much technology is brought in to change the flow and image of the sport - for better or for worse - the roots are deep and unchanging. Always a team enters the field with pride to defend their jersey.
A journey to be proud about 🙌@OlympiacosFC ❤️ pic.twitter.com/100ONlppDw
— UEFA Youth League (@UEFAYouthLeague) August 24, 2024
The players of Sotiris Sylaidopoulos may have lost 2-1 with an upset in the final (Liatsikouras opened the scoring in the 54th minute, Prekates had a crossbar before the final and 1-1), but only the journey, the experience and the fighting spirit appearance on the playing field, are shiny trophies, with which these children covered the reservoir of ambitions and dreams.
Our approach to this magical and unbroken image is our "Children of Piraeus" t-shirt. It could be Sideris and Bebis, it could be Anastopoulos, Djordjevic, Papakanellos or El Kaabi who enter the field. What does it matter? The color on the jersey and the badge on the heart will always fuel the nervous step from the whistle to the touchline!
