After the 2-0 defeat against Chelsea, the Colombian could not contain the crying in a mixed zone. He apologized to the fans, spoke of the broken illusion of reaching the final and reaffirmed his absolute delivery with the Brazilian institution.
Photo: EFE – Justin Lane
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A man from the house ended the dream of Fluminense. Brazilian striker João Pedro, formed in the tricolor quarry, scored on Tuesday the two goals that classified Chelsea (2-0) to the final of the Club World Cup.
Jhon Arias, one of the great figures of the 'Flu' during the contest, could not contain the tears after the defeat against Chelsea in the semifinal.
In a mixed area, the Colombian was honest in front of the cameras, with a broken voice: “I only apologize to the fans. We were very close. I'm sorry. We fight a lot to get here. From the heart, I apologize. As I always say, I try to give everything, I give my life on this shirt.”
For Arias, 27, the fall hurt more because Fluminense had dreamed great. “It is very difficult, we had the illusion of moving forward to the final. It is a very sad feeling, a very bitter frustration,” he admitted. Even so, he rescued some light between bitterness: “We let the name of our club high and I hope we can learn the lessons of the day to improve as a club.”
His club World Cup had been brilliant so far. Arias was chosen Game player in three of the first four games which Fluminense played, including the historic triumph against Inter Milan in Eighths. His electric football and total delivery earned him a nickname that went viral in networks: “Our Colombian Pelé”. A nickname that he accepts with suspicion, but reflects the devotion of his team and his fans.
The road had started loading with hope. In the previous semifinal, Arias confessed excitedly: “None of us wants history to end here.” But Chelsea was superior and João Pedro, with two goals, ended with the Carioca dream.
Despite sadness, Arias's legacy in the tournament is intact: courage, talent and sincerity that connects people. In a Club World Cup where big names shone, Arias won the respect of all demonstrating that, beyond the results, there is still space for the heart in football.
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