"Adversity is not failure": why the World Cup final defeat brought more pride than frustration

Despite the sadness of losing the World Cup final to Spain, a widespread sense of pride and satisfaction prevailed across Argentina, with little widespread anger or despair. Instead, a shared feeling of having come close, coupled with pride in the team's journey, dominated public sentiment. Experts consulted by LA NACION suggest this collective reaction helps explain how a massive sporting disappointment can be painful yet ultimately a learning experience.

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We are experiencing a logical sadness, sorrow for having lost the championship final. But we should also start by saying that we won the runner-up.

Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst José Abadi noted the importance of reframing the outcome. "We are experiencing a logical sadness, sorrow for having lost the championship final. But we should also start by saying that we won the runner-up," he stated. Abadi highlighted the team's ability to build a bond with society that transcended the purely sporting realm, creating a "new, invigorating, and nourishing" relationship with the fans.

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The people were nostalgic, with that feeling that they would have liked to win. But they were also very happy to have won the runner-up and to have achieved an empathy that made the relationship with the team something new, invigorating, and nourishing.

Abadi emphasized that a key element in processing the defeat was understanding it as a competition, not a battle. "In the final, there was an awareness of something crucial: it was a competition. Differentiating competitiveness from hostility is essential for the playful aspect of sport to be present. Otherwise, we are in a war," he affirmed. He also praised coach Lionel Scaloni's leadership, describing him as someone who "listens to the player, persuades, accepts being refuted and elaborates," which he believes creates a strong, cohesive team.

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In the final, there was an awareness of something crucial: it was a competition. Differentiating competitiveness from hostility is essential for the playful aspect of sport to be present. Otherwise, we are in a war.

Gabriela Renault, a psychologist and dean at the University of Salvador, agreed that the World Cup generated a rare emotional phenomenon. "A World Cup involves a world of emotions for millions of people following the same event. There is an identity linked to a flag, to a piece of country, history, and hope. But I am also with others, and then the contagion effect appears," she explained. Renault pointed to the simultaneous experience of shared emotions – celebrating goals or experiencing tension together – as a powerful unifying force, connecting millions of people through a shared passion.

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A World Cup involves a world of emotions of millions of people who follow the same event. There is an identity linked to a flag, to a piece of country, history, and hope. But I am also with others, and then the contagion effect appears.