The defiant statements of Argentine Gonzalo Peillat after the controversy over the celebration of his goal in Germany’s victory over the Lions in Paris 2024

The quarter-final match in men’s hockey, in which Germany beat the Lions 3-2, was notable not only for its intensity, but also for the peculiar story of one of its protagonists: Gonzalo Peillat. The defender, who was Olympic champion with Argentina in Rio de Janeiro 2016, played for the national team for eight years and scored 176 goals. He is currently one of the leading figures of the European team, after resigning from his country’s squad due to a conflict with the local federation and after obtaining German citizenship.

This peculiarity was fuelled by the unbridled celebration of the goal he scored in the German victory, after a penalty corner (it was the 2-1 partial). First, he opened his arms to receive the congratulations of his teammates. Then, he threw a punch into the air. Criticism of Peillat was not long in coming. The social network X (formerly Twitter) exploded with strong opinions, in which he was called a “traitor”. For example, the journalist Juan Martín Rinaldi wrote: “A very painful image. Against the country in which you were born? The one that raised you? The one with which you were an Olympic champion?”

Before the match, the cameras had already focused on Peillat during the national anthems, capturing his obvious discomfort. To add to the morbidity, he is the brother-in-law of Thomas Habif, a player of the Lions. Well, after the stir generated, Peillat justified his actions in a conversation with TyC Sports.

Gonzalo Peillat celebrates against the Lions in Paris 2024

“Argentina is a very football-loving country, I think they relate to it in that way. They would have taken the same side when they knew that everything was wrong and they didn’t; today the people who are sitting on the couch at home criticize what one achieved, what am I going to say? Do the best for the country and move forward. Each one is the owner of his life and makes the decisions he wants, when I represented Argentina I did it in the best way, we won an Olympic medal; I think that few people in Argentina achieved it, and today when they tell you what they say it makes me think what good decisions I made at the end of the day,” he added.

“The connection with the country is the same, it hasn’t changed at all, I always go there, and my friends and family live there. As far as life is concerned, nothing has changed, the issue is the differences regarding sport that were said at the time and put aside. One has to make decisions and I made one; if people don’t like it, that’s how it is,” he concluded.

Then, on TV Pública, he upped the ante: “There are many things that I read, but what do I know? You have to keep a cool head: say it doesn’t matter and move on. When I made the decision I knew that there would be 50% of people who would like it and 50% who wouldn’t, but in the end it’s my life. Those who like it, fine, and those who don’t, sorry, as Maradona said: ‘Let them keep sucking it.’”

Gonzalo Peillat’s outburst, with an old phrase from Maradona

The 31-year-old athlete also analysed what happened on the pitch. “We played Argentina several times during the year, I think it’s a more normal thing now. At first I thought ‘oh, what is this’, but it happened this way. Argentina played well, we shouldn’t underestimate what they did, it was a good approach. I don’t know if we were relaxed or what with some decisions, and then there was the typical end of Argentina where they push, and that is a bit difficult for the Europeans,” he said.

And she admitted that her heartbreak also affected her loved ones: “The whole family was there, but my father was missing, he will be here for the birth of our daughter. Half of the family went one way and half the other, these are things that I knew from the start that it would be like this.”

Peillat’s effusive celebration put him in the eye of the storm (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)