The Spanish emigrant in Argentina who thrills us all with his support for the national team
He was born when Spain was making its debut in a World Cup, back in 1934, in the A Coruña village of Xermán, near Santiago, and at the age of 19 he decided to emigrate to Argentina.
Much has changed since then, but not the passion for football and for the national team at the age of 90 of José Pontes, whose grandson is keeping him company these days following the matches of his beloved Spain from his home in Buenos Aires.
With the help of a blanket, a cooker and a beret, in the middle of the southern winter, Don José invents the names of the players and gives tactical advice (or aesthetic advice in the case of Marc Cucurella) from thousands of kilometres away, always accompanied by his grandson Nicolás, a sports journalist who has decided to share his grandfather's reactions on the internet.
Dice su nieto que emigró a Argentina con 19 años, y ahora tiene 90. Así vivió el partido de cuartos de final entre España y Alemania. pic.twitter.com/ivGUmZYY2D
— Niporwifi © (@niporwifi) July 6, 2024
"He always said he couldn't die without seeing Spain win the World Cup. When he did it, the pity was that I was travelling. I wanted to kill myself for not being with him and being able to see his emotion. Many times, at the end of a national team match, he starts to cry", Nicolas Pontes confesses emotionally in declarations to La Voz de Galicia.
He is a talisman and an essential supporter of Spain, one who will surely be of great help in the final of the European Championships on 14 July. "We are going to win (again) because the best national team is the Spanish one", says José Ponte, who with his affection contributes to this being the case.