By Humberto Viera
04 Jul 2024, 16:42 PM EDT
The phrase “mano, tengo fe” has transcended the world of memes to become a true movement that celebrates the good moment of the Venezuelan soccer team, both in the 2024 Copa América and in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
And faith knows no boundaries: Not even clubs like Girona of Spain, where Venezuelan Yangel Herrera plays, can resist this contagious spirit. The Catalan team paid tribute to Herrera on their social media, publishing an image of the midfielder accompanied by the phrase “Girona has faith,” ahead of the 2024 Copa América quarter-final match between Canada and Venezuela.
What does “hand, I have faith” mean?
In a recent interview with the newspaper Marca, the captain of the Venezuelan national team, Salomón Rondón, explained the profound meaning that this phrase has for the country. Venezuela, which currently occupies fourth place in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, is focused on qualifying for its first World Cup, and the phrase “mano, tengo fe” (hand, I have faith) has become a symbol of that illusion and hope.
Rondón says: “The famous slogan ‘Mano tengo fe’ is already part of our charm (…) It is already part of our identity as a team, it is already part of our football, which has permeated the fans and all the categories of the Vinotinto.”
The ‘Vinotinto’ qualified for this stage after finishing in 1st place in Group B, with an impeccable performance: 9 points out of 9 possible. They relegated Ecuador to second place and eliminated a historic team like Mexico.
Canada, meanwhile, qualified for the quarter-finals by finishing second in Group A, with four points in three games. Only behind Argentina, they eliminated historic teams such as Chile and Peru from the competition.
The match between Venezuela and Canada will take place this Friday, July 5, in what will be the only game on the agenda of the day. It will take place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, one of the largest stadiums in the United States, with a capacity for 80,000 spectators.
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