FALSE 10: It's a sin...

It's a sin.

Not because of Selma Hayek or Shakira, who once again reminded us of their omnipresent charm on Thursday night.

Nor because of a carnival-like atmosphere in the packed stands, as Mexicans celebrated their much-deserved opening victory against South Africa.

Nor because this gigantic piece of architecture and football heritage had previously witnessed the coronation of two of football's probably greatest kings.

Nor because that solid temple is the only place on the planet Earth which has now hosted three World Cups...

No, it's a sin because FIFA are blatantly turning their back on one of the most iconic sports venues in the world at a moment when every one of us needs that more than ever - something to hold onto, a piece of nostalgia and connection to the glorious past that would promise us that miracles and magic are still possible.

That the kids of today would get their heroes, just like our fathers did back in the day.

That's why the iconic Azteca Stadium deserves better. Much more than just five games, including the tournament's opener, a barely promising, low-profile Uzbekistan vs Colombia clash, Mexico-Czechia and two knockout-stage matches.

Is it justifiable for Azteca to host only five out of 104 games despite its undisputed legacy?

Not even the reduced capacity, which dropped from the original 100,000 spectators to the current one of 87,000, could harm the aura of this outstanding ground. Colourful, always arriving at our homes covered in the sun and surrounded by a festive mood, it encapsulates much more than just a genuine football stadium. Every move you see, every shadow on the pitch, plays its own story, reminding us of the Azteca's previous glory, not only witnessed but also an inseparable part of it.

Hey, look, that's the post in front of which Pele made that mythical dribble against Uruguay's keeper back in 1970 (before missing the target, but who cares really)! It was the place where the King, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, would get his crown a few days later, following a memorable 4-1 win over Italy.

And there, at the Azteca, only a few yards away from the place of Pele's coronation, Diego Armando Maradona raised his left hand, the Hand of God, to fool Shilton, England and the entire world sixteen years later. Diego would make that game one of the greatest ever in the history of World Cups with his second, the slalom through the Three Lions' defence, the run to eternity, the Goal of the Century.

Maradona would produce two more unforgettable roles in the shadows of the Azteca against Belgium and West Germany, standing toe-to-toe with his Brazilian predecessor. Two giants, two of football's greatest, and the same cathedral.

That's why it is an unforgivable sin that the football governing body decided to make this venue the home of just five games, with the last one being the Round of 16 tie. Whoever gets to play that match, which is - of course - yet to be revealed, will have the platform to shine in the place where the giants walked. Messi, or maybe Cristiano, Modric, for instance, or Neymar - just to mention a few - will have a chance to join the immortals in the only place in the world where football gods care to place their finger and point to the new Lord.

Even this sidelined Azteca can surely make it possible.

By: BOJAN BABIC