Soccer: Veron apologises to Argentine people

MIYAGI, Japan - Juan Sebastian Veron apologised to his country for Argentina's World Cup failure, calling it the worst day of his life.

"I'm absolutely devastated, this is the worst moment of my life," Veron said after Argentina drew 1-1 with Sweden and went out of the tournament with a third-place finish in the so-called Group of Death.

"We had hoped to give the World Cup as a present to the people of Argentina and that's not possible now," added Veron, whose compatriots are living through the worst economic and social crisis in their history.

"We want to apologise to the Argentine people for our failure to bring back the World Cup."

But Veron said the Argentine squad believed they had done all they could to stay in the competition they started as favourites after a dominant qualifying campaign and a record of 18 matches unbeaten.

"I console myself with the fact that we gave 100 per cent in this match but were unlucky," he said.

"Although we knew we were in a hard group, as a team we all thought we could win the World Cup because we worked hard for that goal, but now our dream has been shattered."

Veron said Argentina were like little boys lost in their dressing room after the match.

"We looked like five-year old kids when they've had a ball or a sweet robbed," Juan Sebastian Veron said after the 1-1 draw.

"There was no talking in the dressing room, sometimes I think a silence is better."

Veron said the team were upset but calm in the knowledge that they had done all they could to try and qualify. The draw in Miyagi followed a 1-0 win over Nigeria and a 1-0 defeat by England.

"We are most of all calm. We left everything (out there) and today wasn't our day, it was a day in which things just weren't going to work out," he said. "We could carry on playing and we just weren't going to score."

"Unfortunately, that's how it is, we're out because of a penalty and a free kick. In footballing terms, I think we're better than our opponents, but that doesn't count either."

Veron, taken off at halftime against England and dropped from the starting line-up against Sweden, said the whistling by English fans had not bothered him in Friday's 1-0 defeat.

"Those are the rules of the game," he said.

"I'll be going back to Manchester (United), nothing's changed. I've not signed with anyone (else). It's logical that United fans should support England, that's their national team."

- REUTERS

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