David Villa marvels in the Portugal-Spain of Legends
Spain was imposed this Friday to Portugal (4-7) in the match that commemorated the centenary of the first Iberian national team match, which brought together in Lisbon to a score of ‘legends’ who in the past wore the elastic of the Red or the ‘quinas’.
The meeting, a party moment in which the rivalry was put aside, was played in the Pavilion João Rocha from Lisbon, to commemorate the first match between the two Iberian teams, one hundred years ago.
It was on December 18, 1921, a duel that also meant the absolute premiere of the Portugal team and that was played at the Campo de O’Donnell in the Spanish capital, then the fiefdom of Atlético de Madrid.
That match ended with a 3-1 victory for Spain, with goals from Paulino Alcántara (2) and Manuel Meana for locals and Alberto Augusto by Portugal.
One hundred years later, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) strengthened ties to make possible a celebration of the historic date, which sold out.
The match, in a five-on-five mode on artificial turf, brought together a score of veterans from both countries.
They wore the Portugal shirt Vítor Baía, Ricardo, Bosingwa, Hélder Postiga, Luis Figo, Maniche, Pedro Pauleta, Ricardo Carvalho, Rui Costa, Simão Tasty and Tiago Mendes, most of them also old acquaintances of Spanish football.
The two teams
On the part of the Red, Koke Contreras, Capdevila, Juanito, Albert Luque, David Villa, Carlos Marchena, Luis Garcia, Gaizka mendieta, Morientes and Alfonso Pérez.
The game was a goal celebration that ended, like a hundred years ago, with a victory for Spain, thanks to the many David Villa (2), who acted as captain; Mendieta (two), Luis Garcia (2 and Marchena. The Gourd, 40, was the best. He scored two goals and produced several more in impressive form thanks to his enviable fitness as a ‘runner’.
But the top scorer of the match was Pauleta, who made a “hat-trick” for Portugal, for which he also scored Rui Costa and in which Vitor Baía He was able to recall some of the stops he made when he played for Barcelona.
The game ended with hugs and even the presence of the children of some players on the pitch, in a festive spirit that filled the pavilion, where Portugal was especially chanted but also heard some “Illa illa illa, Villa Wonder”.
