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Lucas Farach's rebound shot against the Russian Football Union team (RFU) during the penalty shootout in the quarterfinals was quickly followed by a triumphant embrace from his teammates in the Argentine national team. Among them was the other goalkeeper, Nico Sarmiento, who had a lot to say to the hero of La Albiceleste.
Just a minute later, both exchanged glances as Romulo prepared to take the seventh penalty shot for the RFU. Those glances determined who would go to defend the goal. L. Farachas took over from N. Sarmiento amidst whispers, despite the fact that the latter had already blocked one opponent's shot. "When he looked at me, I could tell he was full of confidence in his abilities. He asked if we could switch and we didn't hesitate for long," N. Sarmiento recalled in an interview with FIFA.com. The improvisation proved to be the right move, as L. Farachas blocked Romulo's shot and helped Argentina reach the semifinals.
We spoke with N. Sarmiento, the winner of the Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper in the last World Cup, about his relationship with his teammates, hopes of winning the World Cup again, what it means to play against Brazil, and a special message on social media.
"Did you receive many messages after the match against the RFU?"
– A bunch! Everyone was very happy, even though we made them all wait. But even people who had never watched futsal matches before are now engaged. We are very happy to have pleased our families and friends.
"Was there even a message of support from a footballer, now playing in Paris..."
– We are big fans of his. If you don't like Messi, you're not a football fan! Everyone on the team loves football and having the best player in the world watch us gives us a sense of pride. This is another additional motivation before the match against Brazil.
"How did it feel to block penalties with your colleague Lucas Farach and secure the team's place among the top four?"
– When everything calmed down, we were very happy. We knew how hard it is to reach the World Cup semifinals. It is a wonderful feeling to contribute by blocking penalties. It's a moment where everything could either go your way or not. We spent the last few weeks preparing together with the coaches and team friends.
"How did you prepare for the penalty shootout?"
– Kick the ball during practice (laughs – ed. note). As the tournament approached, the team worked on penalty kick technique, and we tried to block them. The goalkeeper coach, Nico Noriega, and the team's video analyst showed us clips of the opponents' penalty takers before each match. We could assess their little habits, like how they run up to the ball. We tried to gather as much information as possible. When your nerves are on edge and adrenaline is rushing, if you're not confident in the information you have, you might forget it.
"You looked very happy when L. Farachas blocked the crucial penalty against the RFU, didn't you?"
– I was very happy for Lucas. I know how hard he worked and fought to qualify for this World Cup and be ready in case he was needed. When he looked at me before the last penalty, I could see he was full of confidence in himself. He asked if we could switch, and we didn't hesitate for long. We get along well, and that makes everything much easier. We're always helping each other.
"Who made the decision – you two or was it the coaches' prerogative?"
– The coach gives us a lot of freedom to decide what's best for both of us. We talked to him and the goalkeeper coach before the shootout. We decided who would face the first five shots, and if we needed more, then we would decide penalty by penalty. Knowing that we support each other and have the support of the team makes us feel much calmer. This can be a crucial factor under pressure.
"Sometimes you squat down and hit the ground. What is that habit or ritual?"
– I haven't thought too much about it (smiles – ed. note). I don't have an explanation for it. Sometimes watching videos, I wonder what the hell I'm doing (laughs – ed. note). It just happens somehow, but it's not something I could or would want to change. It's part of me, that action comes out. So I suffer, I get nervous, and I enjoy the match.
"In the match against the RFU, the fifth goal of the opposing team in the second half changed the course of the game..."
– We had to change our game plan because of that. It was a knockout match that could have happened in the final. We had to be very cautious in the game with a 50-50 chance of the ball. We knew we couldn't press the opponents because they have players who are very good one-on-one. So any contact could end in disaster. They took a penalty kick from the 10m mark. Luckily, I managed to block it.
"What does it mean to play against Brazil in the World Cup match?"
– (pause – ed. note) I hope it will be a good match, and I hope we win. I'm looking forward to an interesting match because we are worthy opponents and will play against the best team in the tournament. We need to do what we did in the match against the RFU, neutralize the opponents' best players, and take advantage of our chances. We were lucky - playing against Brazil in the World Cup is a dream.
