Argentina stars shun domestic league
Print Edition
SOCCER has become a huge export industry for World Cup finalists Argentina with Lionel Messi the leader of a huge flock of talent that has fled abroad to seek riches.
Argentina have some of the cream of global stars. But only three of Argentina’s World Cup squad of 23 are with Argentinian clubs. Most like Messi (Barcelona), Angel di Maria (Real Madrid) and Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) are earning their millions in Spain, Italy and England’s Premier League.
None of the team that started the semifinal against the Netherlands is with an Argentinian club. Maxi Rodriguez, who came on as a substitute is with Newell’s Old Boys, having ended his European playing days.
By comparison, only seven of the 23-man squad for Germany, the South Americans’ opponents in the final, are with foreign clubs.
Few Argentines have ever seen the country’s best players in the struggling domestic Primera Division, which has turned exporting young talent into an industry.
Argentina’s dismal economy since its 2001 debt crisis has fueled the growth of such deals, which can bring clubs tens of millions of euros.
But as its stars have moved abroad, Argentina’s domestic league has faded. The country has also lost its dominance in the Copa Libertadores, the biggest prize in South American club soccer.
Argentinian teams have won the cup 22 times, more than any other country — but just twice in the last decade (Boca Juniors in 2007 and Estudiantes in 2009).
Some of the country’s most storied clubs have entered humiliating slumps. River Plate and Independiente de Avellaneda have both been relegated to the second-tier Nacional B league.
Messi never played professionally in his home country. Aguero, who started at Independiente at the age of 15, was bought by Atletico Madrid at age 18. Gonzalo Higuain played one year for River Plate, then was bought by Real Madrid at 19. Angel Di Maria started playing for Rosario Central at 17 and signed with Benfica two years later.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
