Heroes' Welcome at Ezeiza
The Argentine women's field hockey team, known as Las Leonas, returned to the country early Sunday morning, landing at Ezeiza International Airport before 6 a.m. A crowd of family, friends, and fans greeted them with applause, flags, and chants of 'Dale campeón, dale campeón!' The team carried the World Cup trophy after defeating the Netherlands in the final held in Amstelveen.[S1][S2][S4]
Captain Majo Granatto was the first to appear, holding the trophy. She described the victory as a dream come true and praised the support from the crowd. She also highlighted the presence of Luciana Aymar, the eight-time world player of the year, who attended the semifinal and final as a guest of the International Hockey Federation, calling her the team's 'amulet' and 'flag.'[S1]
A Historic Final in the Netherlands
In the final at the Wagener Stadium, the Netherlands took the lead with a penalty corner goal by Yibbi Jansen late in the second quarter. Argentina pushed forward and equalized through Granatto's deflection from a penalty corner with six minutes remaining, after their seventh short corner. The match ended 1-1 and was decided by shootouts, where Argentina won 3-1.[S1][S2][S5]
Goalkeeper Cristina Cosentino was a standout, saving two decisive attempts, while Victoria Granatto, Brisa Bruggesser, and Sofía Cairó scored. Cairó, who also converted in the shootout at the Paris 2024 Olympics, expressed pride in being part of the team. The victory was especially significant as it came against the defending champions and Olympic gold medalists, in front of about 10,000 spectators.[S1][S2][S3][S5]
Third World Title and a Perfect Campaign
This World Cup triumph adds to Argentina's titles from Perth 2002 and Rosario 2010, all three won against the Netherlands. Argentina finished the tournament undefeated, a feat coach Fernando Ferrara attributed to two years of meticulous preparation. He described the tournament as 'impeccable from start to finish' and praised the team's talent, courage, and unity.[S1][S2][S3][S4]
The victory also marked a redemption for players who were part of the squad that lost the previous World Cup final. Ferrara noted that the team had a pending debt and knew they had an opportunity not to be missed. He summarized the achievement simply: 'We arrived, we played, we won, and we left.'[S5]
Calls for Investment in Sport
During the celebrations, Granatto emphasized the importance of sport for the country, urging investment in athletics as a priority. She also shared that the team had been sleeping and eating with their gold medals, a sign of their joy. The reception at Ezeiza was a festive close to a celebration that began in the Netherlands, with the team returning as world champions.[S2][S3]
