After choosing an influencer without any professional experience to start in a top-flight game, an Argentinean team infuriated the nation’s football community. For Monday’s encounter against Velez Sarsfield, the leaders of the Primera Division, Deportivo Riestra picked a streamer named “Spreen” but substituted the 24-year-old after 78 seconds. An estimated 15 million people follow Argentina influencer Ivan Buhajeruk under the nickname “Spreen” on social media, including over nine million on Twitch.
In contrast to the thousands of views that a normal match receives, Riestra’s post on X announcing Spreen’s inclusion in their roster received 3.4 million views.
Argentina’s football leaders have criticized the team.
Juan Sebastian Veron, the current president of Estudiantes de La Plata and a former midfielder for Manchester United and Argentina, denounced the “total lack of respect for football and footballers.”
Braian Romero, a striker for Velez, also mentioned a “bad message sent to society, to children, to those who try until the end” and a “lack of respect towards football” in relation to the sport.
“He’s a friend of the club, he has a contract… let him enjoy it, everyone would like to play in the first division,” stated Milton Celiz, the captain of Riestra.
Celiz clarified, however, that he “understands the criticism” and that the choice was “not our responsibility (as players), it’s a matter for the owners (of the club)”.
In a statement, Riestra stated, “At no time was it our intention to disrespect Club Atletico de Velez Sarsfield or Argentinian football.”
We aimed (and still aim) to expand football’s audience, create connections across platforms and worlds, and continue bolstering both the game and our club, which has experienced historic challenges over the previous ten years; last season, they promoted Riestra to the top flight.
The Argentinean Football Association (AFA)’s ethics committee has requested an investigation into “possible conduct that could damage the reputation for integrity of Argentinian football.”
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