SEM Literary Agency
Nicolás Guglielmetti
argentina
(Bahía Blanca, 1981) is a central figure in the literary scene of southern Argentina—a prolific author and an essential cultural organizer. His body of work spans both poetry—with nine published titles—and narrative fiction, including novels and short story collections. His skill as a storyteller was recognized with the “El Puerto Edita” award for his book *Zona de influencia*—an honor bestowed by a distinguished jury that included a figure of the stature of Luis Sagasti. Beyond his own creative work, Guglielmetti is a builder of literary community. He is one of the founders of the Bahía Blanca Narrative Festival, a key event on the region’s cultural map. His role in fostering new voices is further evidenced by his coordination of workshops and programs for emerging writers at the National University of the South (*Universidad Nacional del Sur*), as well as his work as a juror and editor for various cultural platforms—all of which confirm his status as one of the great catalysts of his generation.
BIO
WORK
Mis últimos días con Messi
(My last days with Messi)
Humberto Casciarini is a journalist confined to the sports section of a newspaper in Bahía Blanca, his days defined by the tedium of a gray city and the depression stemming from the loss of his family years earlier. Long gone are the golden days when he served as a correspondent for *El Gráfico* in Barcelona—a time when he was the first to orchestrate a magazine cover featuring a young Messi, a strategic move designed to prevent the Spanish federation from securing the star’s permanent allegiance.
The monotony is shattered following a routine medical check-up: an unfavorable diagnosis forces him to reevaluate his life. Faced with the choice of giving up or pursuing his true calling, he sheds his few possessions and sells his house to fund a trip to Doha. His driving force is to rediscover his journalistic essence and secure a one-on-one interview with his idol. Through a linear, mirrored narrative, Casciarini’s journey at the Qatar World Cup reconstructs the birth of the legend at *La Masía* while offering a behind-the-scenes look at the elite world of professional sports. As the journalist reconnects with his craft through entries in his travel notebook, the story paints a portrait of a relatable, multifaceted Messi: a steadfast companion in private, yet also a son and a man grappling with the immense pressures of his environment.
The work also serves as an X-ray of the Argentine spirit within a devastated nation. The narrative details the step-by-step construction of the *Scaloneta* (the national team under Lionel Scaloni), surrounded by ordinary people who made the encampment in Doha possible—culminating in the euphoric, overflowing crowds of eight million people at the Obelisk. The story reaches its conclusion with a touch of mystery, when a young couple discovers a suitcase left behind by Casciarini at a hotel. Ultimately, following the long-awaited encounter between the journalist and the star on the eve of the latter’s moment of glory, the lines begin to blur: the novel becomes an unsettling mirror, prompting questions about who is truly worthy of having their story told—leaving the reader to wonder whether the entire journey was merely a product of delirium, or the result of an endless odyssey in which those who have been forgotten emerge as the true heroes.
This 111-page novella can be read as a biography. It tells the story of Toro, an Argentine footballer who faltered in the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil—denying glory to an entire nation—as well as the story of Nico, the friend who stands by him. After uncovering a secret FIFA plot involving robot referees, Nico sets out to help his friend find redemption.
Employing the stylistic hallmarks that define his writing, the author blends realism with science fiction, leaving the reader to wonder which characters are human and which are artificial intelligence.
With a nod to Philip K. Dick’s classic novel *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?*, the author immerses us in the behind-the-scenes world of the football elite—exposing corruption that stretches from the Argentine game to the highest echelons of global football. At the same time, he reveals the loneliness and the complex personal journeys of the players we idolize, creating space for reflection on friendship and human relationships.
¿Podrán los robots dominar el fútbol mundial?
(Will robots be able to dominate world Football?)
