Who are the Lapadulitas, where the idea for their costume was born and when will they meet the 9 of Peru

If the goal was not made by him, but by Superman, the red Christmas tablecloth would serve as a cape. And if it was from Chapulín Colorado, the vinyl antennas would be a few straws. And if it was Batman, a few tweaks would make the only trike a Batmobile. In any case, the entire Muñante Urure family would go out of their way to design the costume of the Peruvian striker against Venezuela with whatever was at hand. The goal, of course, the first goal of that triumph, he did Lapadula. And although the movements in the field are known, that false slowness, the tattoos with Andean reminiscences, Tatán’s mustaches and the chelero gestures learned from Christian Cueva when Group 5 sounds, Gianluca Lapadula He is distinguished by his black mask, a face shield that protects the operated septum and turns him into a Spartan, a warrior, a miura.

-We had some black cardboard and how my little brothers played all day to be Lapadula, we cut them out and went out.

Soraya Muñante, older sister of the children Ebrahim and Adael, says that since the morning of November 17, when someone took a photo of them and made their costumes viral on social media, they are no longer Ebrahim and Adael: now they are the Lapadulitas.

***

Although love may not have an exact thermometer to measure itself, there are the numbers that sum it up. It occurs with Gianluca Lapadula and his link with the soccer team, a switch that is activated to turn normal human beings into villains or heroes. Lapadula Vargas was born on February 7, 1990, he is 31 years old and since he accepted Ricardo Gareca’s call to the selection, he processed his ID and appeared for Jorge Chávez with that melange overcoat of several thousand euros, everything has been a revolution : He played 17 games for Peru, scored 5 goals but his influence is notable in the spirit and in the goal pass. This is what Jorge Valdano once said in The Infinite Game, “a kind leader”. A few months ago we told the story of his presentation in intimacy with the national team, an insurmountable group that opened the door for him as one more: they asked Lapadula to dance a celebration, he very courteously wielded that “he did not understand” but in return, came out a booming voice to play Frank Sinatra, a cover that broke the ice and was a passport for his happy stay in the locker room.

It was from there, from the dressing room and from the field, Lapadula has fallen in love with the country: according to the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec), “Gianluca Lapadula” is the fourth name chosen among Peruvian players to use in the games of birth (followed by the child’s last name). The first is Yoshimar Yotún (14), Jefferson Farfán (9), Paolo Guerrero (7) and then Bambino (4). The twins Ebrahim and Adael Muñante Urure, 5 years old, are now the Lapadulitas, without having to go to Reniec.

***

It was the @OutPeru account on Twitter that, at 2:06 pm, published the photograph of Ebrahim and Adael in a market in Ica. It quickly went viral, that is, an image shared by thousands of users in a short time. For several days, netizens tried to find them, with no response. Until the Fazil app decided to look for them with the help of social networks, as it found in the image many of the values ​​that characterize the popular delivery app such as closeness, friendship, speed and happiness. Fazil is also in charge of placing Lapadula in the most well-known whereabouts of the capital, as he has recently signed a sponsorship agreement with the Benevento of Italy striker.

In five days, the first week of December, Fazil found them. And then, they called Gianluca Lapadula to Italy by phone, who already knows the affection that the twins have for him.

***

The meeting with the children and their family took place on December 1. A representative of Fazil traveled to Ica bringing a special request from Fazil to their doorstep, filled with much joy and love. The little ones received gifts from the brand such as T-shirts, national team balls, toys, clothing and much more.

The Muñante Urure brothers don’t know it yet, but a simple Halloween game changed their lives. The costume was the product of the affection of his mother, Marlith, but also of difficult circumstances and football, this game that unites the country like no other. “They always dressed as Lapadulas, with his shirt,” says Marlith, the mother. “But on Halloween Day we didn’t have a costume for them because my mom worked all day and we didn’t have time. So we remembered Lapadula’s protective mask and so they came out disguised. The day Peru played with Venezuela, some time later, they were like this all day, hehe ”, remembers Soraya, the older sister.

The masks were made of black cardboard and they gave it a bit of shape. The chimpuns were his school shoes. The garters on the surgical masks served as a bra. After the 2-1 against Venezuela and the intact dream of qualifying for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the Lapadulitas slept with their shirts on and the next day they accompanied their mother to the market. It was November 17th.

In mid-January, when they personally meet Gianluca Lapadula in Lima, the hero of their childhood, that November 17 will be like a new birthday. One day for your whole life.