It is a six-day stretch that could forever change a country. The people of Guatemala may well look back on 13-18 November as the time that their boys, their team, finally joined the ranks of the footballing elite and reached the FIFA World Cup™.
Guatemala currently sit third in Group A of the third round of Concacaf qualifying, one point behind Suriname and Panama, but the November window schedule smiles on Los Chapines, with both matches at home against the two sides ahead of them in the table. It’s simple math for coach Luis Fernando Tena’s side: Win both, and you are World Cup-bound.
A big reason why Guatemala have this golden opportunity at their fingertips is the play of striker Oscar Santis. The 26-year-old might possess a baby-face, but on the pitch he slices up defenses, evidenced by his strike to put El Salvador to the sword in San Salvador last month. With five goals in this qualifying campaign, Santis has emerged as Guatemala’s dangerman, and there is nothing he wants more than to set off the celebration of a lifetime after their qualifying finale.
Oscar Santis: It’s a beautiful moment right now for the entire country. Everyone is waiting for these two games, which I believe are the two most important matches in Guatemala’s history. It’s crazy. When you go out on the street, everyone is thinking and talking about November and the upcoming games, that we are going to win. It’s really nice. The fans always make their presence felt.
Guatemala has been doing very well lately, as shown in the Gold Cup, and now in these qualifiers, I think we have been very strong. We have achieved very important results, and that is why right now the fans and the people are very committed to the team.
It was a goal I’ve always dreamed about because ever since I was a boy I wanted to be in those moments for my national team, and to score is a wonderful feeling. It is a stadium with 30,000 to 40,000 people, a full stadium, so when I scored the goal, many things came to mind, those childhood dreams I had. I just have to say how wonderful it is to represent my country in those moments.
It gives me such great satisfaction, because I have always said that I’ll be there when my national team needs me. I believe that right now is when I have to fill myself with courage, happiness, pride, and go forward. Each time that I put on the jersey, it is sacred. I want to give the best of myself and when I score goals, it is a great honor. I give thanks because I am fulfilling one of the goals I set for myself as a child.
When you go out on the street, the kids see you as a role model, they view you as an idol and that’s really satisfying for me, for my family, because I always dreamed about this, I always wanted this and now that I have it, I am enjoying it.
Yes, I try to enjoy it. The truth is, I try to enjoy every moment because that’s what life is all about, being able to enjoy everything it gives you. And right now, it’s giving me something very special and beautiful in my life, the chance to enjoy these moments.
I think staying united is going to be very important. We will go in with necessary determination and wisdom to be able to face these matches, which are so important. I have faith that the three points will stay here at home.
They have players who play in Europe, but ultimately they have got positive results because they have been playing well, and that’s why they have been the surprise team. On the field it’s 11 v 11 and anything can happen. They have been working hard and it has been good for them.
Yes, I see myself in the World Cup. I see myself enjoying the 18th [of November] with that ticket to the World Cup.
It would be a very important achievement in my career and one I’ll remember for the rest of my life in Guatemala. Personally, I want to make my family happy, I want them to feel proud of me and then after that, give thanks to God.
Guatemala will be partying like crazy for the rest of the year if we qualify. The 18th [of November] is going to be crazy all over Guatemala. The people are going to be happy, there will be parties, there will be everything. It’s all going to be wonderful.
He is a coach who knows a lot, who knows how to manage processes, and I think they have respected the process here in Guatemala. That’s why we see the results we see today. Right now, Guatemala can compete with any national team because we know we have a great coach and a great coaching staff. They have kept this squad united and that’s important because sometimes projects aren’t respected. He knows how to manage this project, so I would highlight the strength that he has brought to Guatemala that has helped us evolve at a footballing level. He’s changed so much the Guatemalan footballer’s mentality so that we can compete and we have the necessary qualities to do things well.
