The final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup involving Spain and the Netherlands will go down in history as one of the most unforgettable football matches. The occasion took place in South Africa, and the match was still goalless at the end of extra time. However, in the 116th minute, just moments before the additional minutes were about to expire, the only goal of the game by the Spanish midfielder Andrés Iniesta changed the match, and thereby it was the reason for Spain to lift the World Cup for the very first time.
Not only that, but Iniesta, the scorer of the much-anticipated goal, showed a white t-shirt with a message written on it after removing his jersey. The content of the message was “Dani Jarque siempre con nosotros,” which translates to “Dani Jarque, always with us.”
Dani Jarque was a personality well known to the public, as he was an important character in the life of Iniesta and also a co-player for the Spanish national team. Jarque’s death was the result of a heart problem he was not aware of. He passed away at the age of 26, and this left the whole football community shocked. And Iniesta was deeply affected by the loss of his friend. Therefore, when Iniesta scored the most important goal of his entire career, he preferred to dedicate the trophy to Jarque.
By this gesture, Iniesta demonstrated the highest tribute to his friend’s memory. It was a moment that touched many people, and they saw Iniesta as a really deep and genuine person. Moreover, Iniesta, through his emotional celebration, showed that not only winning the World Cup but also remembering his beloved makes him feel happy, which he also expressed through the event, and how deeply he is connected to friendships and real life. In this way, the whole world got the chance to perceive the extent to which football can influence the empathy of people and their connections.