Just in time for the anniversary of the World Cup victory, Argentine soccer star Almada opened up to ESPN, counting down the highlights of that World Cup and revealing for the first time that he had received an olive branch from English Premier League powerhouse Manchester City.
Referring to the moment he was selected for the national team, Almada is still overwhelmed with emotion: "I was at the dentist's office when my cell phone suddenly shook wildly, and when I answered the phone, the caller said: 'This is Gringo', and I froze, not knowing that Coach Scaloni had such a nickname. He asked, 'What Gringo?' I replied, 'This is Scaloni, are you coming or not?' I immediately replied 'come come come' and told the dentist 'I'll be back later' haha."
Talking about the tension and excitement of the final, Almada recalled, "Initially we were calm as hell because of the great performance and the lead. In the first half we all said 'this is our game'. However, after our opponents equalized, we were shocked and I could hardly believe it. I couldn't hold back my tears when I saw Di Maria in tears. I stood there and didn't even see the moment Big Martin saved from Mouani until it was replayed on TV afterwards."
Of the celebration after the win, Almada laughed: "It was out of control. We didn't get far, it was hot, the crowd was crazy. The whole family was waiting for me and we had a barbecue. The next night, I drove a fire truck through the neighborhood and everyone cheered, it was mind-blowing."
Talking about his career, Almada reveals a little known fact: "Before joining Atlanta United, Manchester City offered me an olive branch. I had six months left on my contract, Sarsfield wanted me to extend my contract and City offered to send me on loan to Sporting Lisbon for six months. But I chose to stay and didn't want to leave Sarsfield on a free, I wanted to develop well with my original team."
Looking to the future, Almada is full of hope: "I dream of the Champions League and I want to play another World Cup. But most importantly, I'm eager to keep running on the pitch and fight for more chances to play. I believe that if you work hard, your dreams will come true."
