Dismay In Argentina As Influencer Lines Up For First Division Game

An influencer with no professional experience was chosen by an Argentine club to start a top flight game, which infuriated the nation’s football community.

Deportivo Riestra selected a streamer known as “Spreen” for their match against Primera Division leaders Velez Sarsfield on Monday before substituting the 24-year-old off after 78 seconds. He had not touched the ball.

“Spreen” — the pseudonym of Argentine influencer Ivan Buhajeruk — has some 15 million followers on his social media channels, including more than nine million on Twitch.

READ ALSO: Transfer: Galatasaray Propose Swap Deal To Sign Osimhen

Riestra’s post on X announcing Spreen’s presence in their lineup racked up 3.4 million views, compared to the several thousand for a typical match.

Football figures in Argentina have lambasted the club.

Juan Sebastian Veron, the former Manchester United and Argentina midfielder and current president of Estudiantes de La Plata, condemned a “total lack of respect for football and footballers”.

Velez striker Braian Romero also spoke of a “lack of respect towards football”, as well as a “bad message sent to society, to children, to those who try until the end” to break into the sport.

Sponsored

Riestra captain Milton Celiz said: “He’s a friend of the club; he has a contract… let him enjoy it; everyone would like to play in the first division.”

But Celiz added that he “understands the criticism,” though the decision was “not our responsibility (as players); it’s a matter for the owners (of the club).”.

“At no time was it our intention to disrespect Club Atletico de Velez Sarsfield or Argentinian football,” Riestra said in a statement, also pointing out that Velez had been informed of the initiative the week before the match.

“Our objective was (and is) to attract new audiences to football, to build bridges between different worlds and platforms, to continue strengthening the product (football) and our club, which is experiencing a historic moment in the First Division.”

Riestra were promoted to the top flight last season after climbing five divisions in the last 10 years.

The Argentinian Football Association (AFA) has asked its ethics committee to investigate “possible conduct that could damage Argentinian football’s reputation for integrity.”

SPONSORED
Victor Alade

Recent Posts

Gunmen ∆ttack Soldiers At Checkpoint In Abia, K!ll Two (Video)

At least two soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force of Operation UDO KA have…

4 hours ago

Bad Roads: Edo Gov Urges Contractors To Return To Sites

Monday, Okpebholo, the governor of Edo State, ordered contractors to return to the sites and…

5 hours ago

FG Says Efforts Ongoing To Crush New Terror Group Lakurawa

The federal government has said it is putting measures in place to eliminate a new…

7 hours ago

Okonjo-Iweala: WTO To Meet For Selection Of Next DG

The World Trade Organization has said it would convey a special meeting of its General…

7 hours ago

Nigerian Navy Receives Three Augusta Helicopters

The Ministry of Defense has delivered three brand-new Agusta Westland 109 Trekker helicopters to the…

7 hours ago

NECO Confirms Payment Of 72,138 Examiners For 2024 SSCE

On Wednesday, the National Examinations Council declared that the 72,138 examiners hired as ad hoc…

8 hours ago