San Martin

Conversations with Sports Fans – Argentinian Futbol Reflections

DouglasTHillLeave a comment
Doug & Tim at Estadio Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires
No one was leaving the stadium until Messi did. We were no exception.

Event No. 24 of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project took me and frequent traveling compadre, Tim Parker, deep into the Southern Hemisphere to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for a pair of soccer, er, futbol matches.

One featured a pair of Argentine Primera Division foes River Plate and San Martin de San Juan and the other was an epic homecoming – and likely farewell – for current beloved soccer son, Lionel Messi, who likely played his final competitive national team match on home soil during Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Venezuela in a World Cup 2026 Qualifying match. Messi scored twice and had a third disallowed for offsides so everyone in the partisan crowd at Estadio Mas Monumental went home happy.

Tim and I discuss what our week was like in Buenos Aires, the two futbol matches in particular, in this bonus episode.

So … This is Gonna Happen

DouglasTHill5 Comments
Sports Ticket
My ticket for Thursday night’s Argentine National Team soccer match.

My buddy Tim and I flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the hope of seeing a pair of Argentinian soccer, er, futbol matches as part of Event No. 24 of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.

We’d secured tickets prior to leaving the U.S. for the River Plate–San Martin match that occurred on Sunday. It was an absolutely fabulous experience and the host River Plate squad, in front of nearly 80,000 home fans at their historic Estadio Mas Monumental, won the match, 2-0, with both markers coming on our end of the pitch.

What we did not have tickets for before leaving, was the final home World Cup Qualifying match for the Argentinian national team. That match is Thursday night against Venezuela, also in Monumental. That match is significant because most folks in the know believe it will be Lionel Messi‘s final competitive home match for the national team before he retires following World Cup 2026.

Tim and I received word we’d have a ticket and the manner in which to pick it up. (On a street corner, cash, and tickets exchanged; the whole thing seemed fairly seedy until the person with the ticket agreed to give us a lift back to where we were staying.)

So, we now wait for another day to witness this historic match. I’m left to wonder how loud the crowd will be for Messi has he’s introduced and, presumably, pulled from the game at some point in the second half.