Cosas vederes (SPA-ENG)

You will see things

In the vast world library, there are countless phrases that have become immortal and that are attributed or distorted wrongly by writers and famous people who have never put them into their writings. There is even the paradox of characters fully identified with a phrase or phrases that they have never said, at least not in the original versions of the books written or in the news about them; another thing is the cinema, where everything that represents a book or a story is discarded and recomposed, generally in the worst way.

Without going any further, we have, to give an example, Sherlock Holmes's famous phrase: " Elementary, my dear Watson." Never in the books of Arthur Conan Doyle can you find a quote in those terms.

Another wrongly attributed allusion, in this case much more serious because of its meaning and who supposedly supports it is the following: "I do not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." This quote is attributed to Voltaire, one of the most important personalities who represented the cultural and social movement known as The Enlightenment in the 16th century, a period that prioritized reason and science over religious beliefs.

There are plenty of examples, but we finally get to the title of this note, which is sports-related and I do not forget that, but as often happens, I cannot control my genius and I have to provide information that concludes the main reason for my writing.

I am referring to Miguel de Cervantes and his masterpiece of the Spanish language, Don Quixote of La Mancha. Probably the character to whom the most erroneous quotes have been attributed, among them this: "You will see things, Sancho, that will make the stones speak." A phrase that refers to something that causes us perplexity.

Something like the price of tickets to see Argentina-Brazil on March 25 for the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which is just around the corner, by the way.

We have learned the price that the AFA has set for tickets to watch this important match and we are perplexed or surprised if you prefer, the cheapest one, in the "popular" stands, costs the equivalent of US$100 and the most expensive one in the preferential stands about US$500, give or take a dollar.

It is not easy to understand that in a country where the minimum wage barely reaches US$300 and the average is around US$1,000, a ticket to see a football match, however important it may be, costs what it costs. Prices have practically doubled since last November when the match against Peru for this same tournament was played at the Boca Juniors stadium.

And what is worse, I imagine a monumental stadium packed with people.

Reading various news regarding the value of these tickets, I observed some comparisons, the one that seems most similar to me is the cost of the tickets for the match that will be played on March 23rd between Spain and the Netherlands for the Nation League, there the cheapest will be around 35 euros (US$38) and the most expensive 350 euros (US$380), much cheaper than those of the South American classic. Of course, surely many will understand that the match between Argentina and Brazil is more important, I agree, but everyone must also agree that in general, the purchasing power in Europe is noticeably higher than here.

Incomprehensible things, almost as much as the quotes from phrases or thoughts never expressed.

However, here we are, ready to see the great match on March 25th, more important for Brazil than for Argentina, a defeat for the green and yellow team would leave it in an uncomfortable position, where it has rarely been. Things to see....