The Dutchman approached him, it is not clear why, and Messi was interviewed on TV for millions of fans around the world. He was still very angry about the quarrels between players and resented him for what he interpreted as disrespect from DT Louis Van Gaal.
“I thought the phrase was great. So innocent, so tender compared to the world of sports. He is super-educated. I bought my three grandchildren, crazy about the World Cup, t-shirts with the legend on them,” Graciela Schettino, a retiree, told AFP. 67 years old.
What are you looking at, fool? go paya
Merchants on the internet, faster than the striker heading towards the goal, did not lose a minute. They launched t-shirts, coffee cups or pennants on the market.
“We made the shirts right away. The phrase ended up going viral because at another stage Messi had a low profile, calm. But people wanted him to have that spicy Diego (Maradona) look. We love that he is from Maradona,” the designer of the shirt told AFP. clothing Tony Molfese, 31 years old.
The cups began to be offered from 1,600 Argentine pesos (about 9 dollars), T-shirts for 2,900 pesos (16 dollars) and beanies for 3,900 (22 dollars). A multi-second tweet with the video was shared 10.5 million times on Monday.
What are you looking at, asshole (stupid)?”
The phrase, outside of Argentina, deserves at least one explanation. That “What are you looking at, fool?” It is extremely moderate for common lunfardo (slang). What is used is: What are you looking at, asshole (stupid)?”.
But the second part of the sentence arouses the interest of linguists and philologists. It is completely deprecated. It is an old popular expression of great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers.
What is used now is: “Rajá de acá!”, much more guaranga and which means “Go!” (go away).
But it was cause for laughter and celebration among the fans. There is no longer that quiet boy, to speak timid and careful.
In the collective memory, the scatological or ingenious ways that the late Maradona used against figures of power, be it a president of FIFA, the United States or a Supreme Pontiff, are indelible.