Dear Friends,

When you read this message, I shall be in Argentina. I feel sure you would enjoy it too: in the midst of nature I shall have the company of the affection of your messages. You really have sent me a lot! It is truly an honour to have you as travelling companions in this new adventure as well. Your messages are explosions of passion and I am only sorry that I cannot answer you all, but I do assure you that they really do make me happy. I am the one that should congratulate you. It is nice to still be able to find people capable of donating emotions.
Argentina is magical. If any of you have been lucky enough to see these places, I am sure you will agree.
It is impossible not to remain speechless when, in the coolness of the morning, you watch the sun rising above the endless pampas where the great force of nature can still be seen. The colours and sounds seem to come from another world, but what strikes me most is the silence. The silence of nature cannot be described in words: it fills your heart and, to some extent, it takes you back to your childhood.
Because silence is simple. It contains everything. And it is an everything that makes you feel good.
It brings to mind football when you were a child. It is rather like re-living the joy of running after a ball, which I tried to maintain right up to my last match.
I sometimes stop to watch soccer matches between kids, to rediscover that sentiment, that love for the game. The children here still play soccer in the streets or courtyards, and dream of becoming football players. The taste for skilful, spectacular play, also continues to resist in the major leagues. That is another reason I like Argentinian soccer. You have tactics and competitive spirit, but skill is still very elegant. The basis of a player’s entire career still remains in the soccer schools, and the results are there to see. How many young Argentinians are doing well in top-level soccer now? Lots of them. And you can be sure that a lot more young talent will reach us in Europe from this country. I only hope that they do not lose that taste for playing football which they had when they were kids. I hope so for them and for the football of the future.

See you soon
All my love
Roberto