“Yo solo quería jugar al futbol” (I just wanted to play football)

voglio giocare

Many times we use to say that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. The game sense of soccer, which is light years ahead of the "business" of marketing, racism and especially episodes of violence in and outside stadiums, was reflected in this black and white picture from Spain.

Soccer is just a game, and that’s what a five years old boy, Alejandro Rodriguez Macias, reminds us. Alejandro plays in the Union Vera, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and during a game recently had to make peace between the referee and the opposite coach.

The two adults were facing each other at a short distance, with an aggressive tone and shouting in what looked like a very tense discussion even though it was only a match between children. Alejandro was between them with open arms trying to separate the two men.

"A fight had started between the referee and the coach," said Alejandro. Then I got between them and said, "Stop misters", and then they moved away. "I just wanted to play football," said the little player.

John, his father, was really proud: “It was a thing he has done in a moment of tension between the referee and the opposite coach, it was a completely spontaneous gesture. He was very brave and all clapped at what he did. I'm very proud of him.”

A nice gesture captured on camera by one of the parents who was in the stands from the field. The photo has certainly already travelled around the world.

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