A habit in this World Cup. According to the Argentinian embassy in Qatar, 30,000 to 40,000 Argentinian supporters made the trip to support the Albiceleste in the quest it has embarked on: to offer a World Cup to Lionel Messi. “It’s absolutely crazy what’s going on around this teamsays Nicolás Migliavacca, journalist at Olé. But it’s not just limited to the fans in Qatar: after the victory against Australia, there was a rally near the Obelisk, the place where big victories are usually celebrated.“.
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A huge crowd under the Obelisk in Buenos Aires after qualifying for the quarterfinals
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81% audience share in Argentina
The first explanation for the deafening atmosphere in the Qatari stadiums when Argentina is first comes from there, from this almost disproportionate love of the Albiceleste. It was enough to see the contrast between the former glories of Brazil and Argentina in the round of 16 to also grasp the essence of supporterism in Argentina.
While the Rivaldo quartet, Roberto Carlos, Cafu and Ronaldo had a good time in the stands as the Seleçao strolled against South Korea, Kun Agüero, Batistuta, Sorín, Cambiasso, Zanetti or Crespo had dropped the jacket and had long since abandoned their seat to sing and dance in support of their own. In 2018, the presence of Diego Maradona in Russia had also reinforced the idea that in the World Cup, it is the sacred union behind the Albiceleste.
“The enigma” which is not one
Argentinian hinchas against Australia
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Maybe the federation did the right thing to get them there
“Those who managed to enter the stadium should not have had access to it. We have figures which prove that they arrived in a dispersed way but that they all agreed in the last match to find themselves just behind the goals“, explains a source from the Argentine Interior Ministry to the media. That’s why you may have seen drums in the colors of Boca or the coats of arms of Club Atletico de Vélez among the Argentine blue and white jerseys.
“It is a very hierarchical system, classified by lineexplains Matthew. The front line is the most prestigious etc. A front line barra is someone who can be invited to the wedding of a politician, a football player. He is almost a minister. These were banned in Qatar. But there are still those in the second or third line. We have seen many who have arrived in Qatar. If they are there, it may be that the federation did what was necessary to make them there“.
Argentinian hinchas against Australia
Credit: Getty Images
The surprise would not really be so much the links between politicians and barras are commonplace in Argentina. At the head of the Argentine federation, a state within a state, Claudio Tapia has always maintained an ambivalent relationship with the barras bravas. The current president of the AFA has only followed the model: Mauricio Macri, former president of Boca Juniors who became president of the Republic, had more than cordial relations with the “Doce”, emblematic barra, who receives income via the various sales of the club but even manages the car parks of the Bombonera.
To go further on the subject of barras bravas, listen to the analysis of our specialist Thomas Goubin in our podcast “Tour d’Europe”
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