Singer Manu Chao Dedicates Song to The Libertadores Final

In a very precise critique of the global free market system, and of the business surrounding the world of football, the Franco-Spanish singer has dedicated a song to the second-leg match of the Copa Libertadores de America (Liberators of America Cup), that will be played in Madrid on Sunday.

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The second match of the Copa Libertadores final, between Boca Juniors and River Plate, will be played in the Santiago Bernabeu (Real Madrid) Stadium in Madrid, on Sunday, Dec. 9. at 8:00 p.m. (local time). In his song, Manu Chao surmizes that the true victory lies with the financial gains of the Chinese and Qatari enterprises.  

"Miralo, miralo, miralo... miralo, miralo, miralo... Juega Boca, juega River, gana China, gana Catar", (Look at it, look at it, look at it ... Boca plays, River pays, China wins, Qatar wins) repeated twice Manu Chao on his song. Qatar and China are currently among the biggest investors in the professional football world, while the next World Cup will be played in Qatar in 2022.

The critique made by Manu Chao explains that it is not the people who are winning with the decisions made by the football governing bodies, those who win are the sponsors of the teams, of the stadiums and of the different stakeholders of football. 

"To ALL my siblings from Argentina. We carry you in the heart !!!! Thank you for so much brotherhood! Missing your corners missing your sidewalks ... Every corner," stated the singer on his social media. Before adding some verses from the poem 'Martin Fierro' written by Jose Hernandez: "The brothers (and sisters) be united / That is the first law. / Have true union / at any time, / because if they fight, / they are devoured by outsiders."

Jose-Manuel Thomas Arthur Chao, commonly known as Manu Chao, is a renowned songwriter but is also very well known for his activism. His closeness to Latin America has made him one of the most recognized singers in the region, and he has collaborated with several movements and human rights defenders such as the Mexican Zapatistas movement.

Manu's parents escaped the Franco dictatorship in Spain, while he started his musical career in France.

His work heavily influenced by punk rock and ska, he is mainly known in non-English speaking European countries and Latin America. His 1998 album, "Clandestino," sold 5 million copies and won the Best World Music Album award in 1999's Victoires de la Musique awards

The final match of the 58th edition of the Copa Libertadores will be played in Madrid, which is only happening because River Plate fans attacked the bus carrying Boca players who were on their way to the Monumental (River's) Stadium to play the match on Nov. 24th. The first-leg of the final was played on Sunday, Nov. 11th, in the "Bombonera" (Boca's) stadium and ended in a 2-2 draw.

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The South American football governing body, CONMEBOL, decided that the match should not be played in Argentina, and would be better situated in Madrid instead. Both teams appealed the decision of playing in Madrid, but the match will happen on Sunday.

The decision to play the final of a cup named after the people who brought independence to America, in Spain,  has been deeply criticized by many people. This is because Spain is the empire that was the major colonizer in South America. 

Some of Manu Chao's fans replied with enthusiasm to the post and thanked him for the support for Argentina. "In times of excessive repression, of uncontrolled tariffs, of Macri in the government, it is imperative that you return to Argentina, I swear we need it !!!" said Maria Jose Grillo on the Facebook post.