EXCEPTIONAL EMOTION THAT WOULD SAVE A SHOW
— Unknown | 27/12/1939 —

Isidro Lángara did not want to talk about Leônidas' goal after the dramatic fight in São Januário. He smiled modestly at the reporter, a smile that meant a gentle refusal. However, he understood the journalistic curiosity and intelligently promised an interview elsewhere.

Lángara: I'll be at the hotel. There we will talk at our leisure. You will forgive this involuntary mistake. It's so hot in this stadium and I also have a head like that.

He said, made a comical gesture with his hands and took a seat in the car next to Waldemar and his compatriot Angel Zubieta.

EXCEPTIONAL EMOTION.

Twenty-four hours later we found ourselves face to face with the famous artilleryman. The former Spanish "scratchman" sat comfortably and without us insinuating anything, he was narrated.

Lángara: I already know what you want. An impression of Sunday's match. Is easy; even easier than the meeting that took place the day before, between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro residents. The one in which the champions from here and Buenos Aires took part was, as everyone saw, rich in brilliant moves. A singular richness, culminated with that devilish attempt by the devilish Leônidas. He smiles, still impressed with the feat of Diamante Negro and exclaims:

» How fiera that little man is! Evidently, it is necessary to have extraordinary agility to reach the ball with such precision. And also a little luck. Imagine if every attempt resulted in a goal. What wouldn't happen to the goalkeepers? I, for example, as a goalkeeper would only enter the field under one condition; taking a handicap of more than two goals.

» But we have to do justice to Flamengo's centre-forward. Not only because of the juggling that is characteristic of him, but above all because of his effectiveness.

He pauses and continues:

Lángara: I have seen, both outside and on the pitch, remarkable events. I leave these to memory to value them. In twenty-four hours, then, I can say, at least for me, whether it was impressive tact or not. Fixing it in the brain and remembering it, after the accident, is because it was an exception. The "case" of Leônidas' feat was well recorded. As engraved as that defense by the incomparable Zamora. Yes, Zamora!

San Lorenzo's top scorer gets emotional when pronouncing the name of the eternal guardian. He shudders.

Lángara: Saying that, I say it all, because Zamora is the ultimate in football for me. Intense, dramatic, exciting, wonderful. His defenses were worth it and saved any show. In each match he had a surprise in store. He transformed monotony into movement. He made it vibrate.

Then he refers to the match of São Januário:

Lángara: In the event that nothing had been seen, nothing more than that move that meant the third fall of Bello's citadel, the public could have left the theater satisfied. And they call it a bicycle kick...

— And Erico? What is happening with the Paraguayan forward, Lángara?

Lángara: Too much football. Tiredness. Erico is great, as great as the greats in his position. The Rio fans didn't see him and it's regrettable that he leaves without showing his true game. It's another spectacle.