Leo Messi and Sting

Last week, Mark had the opportunity to attend a match between the Argentina national team and the national team from Chile.  Apparently, the Argentina national team goes by the nickname "La Albiceleste" - which basically means white and blue stripes and comes from their uniforms which are, you guessed it, covered in white and blue stripes.  Based on what the fans in our section said during the match, the Chilean team's nickname, on the other hand, is a swear word I cannot write here because my mother will read this.

Anyway, we arrived just before kickoff and sat in the cheap seats.  It was super crowded and fairly uncontrolled.  This was not for the claustrophobic.  But, once the "action" started, the crowd was remarkably focused on the match.

The pre-game was fun.  There was fireworks and the respective national anthems of both teams.  Thankfully, the Argentines used the short version of theirs (rather than the 13 minute version they use at formal events).

Mark attended with a couple of friends and we all had a great time.  The match ended in a 1-0 blow out (?).  So after attending only 2 matches and 180 minutes of soccer, Mark finally witnessed a goal in Argentina!!!!  It was scored by a guy named Leo Messi.  Apparently, he's pretty good.  How good?  Well, the crowd had chants about the greatness of Argentina, the terribleness and mothers of the Chilean players.... and about Messi.  They had a song.  Just about this one dude.  Mark notes that he has witnessed some pretty strong athletes in his day.  Tom Brady, Ken Griffey Jr, Roger Clemens, Cal Ripkin, Barry Bonds, Usain Bolt, LaBron James, Kevin Durant, Favre, Adrian Peterson (on the day he set the single season record), but never has he witnessed an entire stadium of people sing a song about one guy on a team.  So, Leo Messi is a pretty big deal around here, I guess.

The only goal Mark has ever witnessed in Argentina in person.

So it was pretty cool to see a big star like Messi ply his craft in person.  But... that was not the only big time celebrity in attendance.  We also found Sting..... Well, Argentine Sting, anyway.

Sting

Argentine Sting, second from left.

 On our way in to the stadium, we were running the gauntlet of security checkpoints, as you would expect in this type of situation.  Between the checkpoint when some random guys asked to see our tickets and some other guys asked to see our ticket, some drunk Argentine fans ran up to my colleague and started freaking out.  They then composed and sang a new fan anthem entitled "Esting es Argentino" (~Sting is Argentine!).  One of the youngsters had the gumption to ask my colleague to take a selfie with him, which Argentine Sting had no problem doing.  Argentine Sting is quite the crowd pleaser.

So all in all, it was great to see two celebrities be so kind to their adoring masses.  While Argentine Sting endulged in selfies, Messi just waived to the crowd.

He is actually waiving AT Argentine Sting.