Just visiting the Gran Vía is enough to make you realise that there is an increasing number of Argentines in Madrid. Many come to visit, but many others work in a variety of trades.
According to data from Spain's INE statistics bureau some 353,000 Argentines are currently living in Spain. This figure could stretch to half a million if one includes those who arrive as tourists and then remain “without papers,” and those who enter with dual nationality and a European passport.
But some, of course, can miss that familiar feeling of home. Two compatriots, who are now based in Madrid permanently, decided to take the next step. They founded the Club Argentino de Fútbol on July 11 last year, an initiative that matches nicely with the creation in Argentina of historical sides Sportivo Italiano in 1955 and Club Deportivo Español in 1956.
“Indeed, we took inspiration from the institutions which, over half a century ago, were founded by immigrants in Argentina,” acknowledges Adrián Varela, who arrived in Spain in February 2022, during an interview.
Adrián arrived almost at the same time as the other founder of the Club Argentino de Fútbol, Gustavo Nomdedeu, who came shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Experience
Varela has extensive experience in sports management. He was president of the commissions of Public Relations and International Relations at River Plate during Rodolfo D’Onofrio’s administration and currently manages sporting entities in Spain. Gustavo Nomdedeu comes from marketing and publicity, and in Madrid he works as a consultant for administration and finance at SMEs.
After completing the formalities before the Higher Sports Council (it was a race against the clock in order to meet the deadline to start the season), they obtained the approval for the Club Argentino de Fútbol to start to take part in tournaments in the Community of Madrid.
The club's authorities have already expanded into youth divisions. “We have two teams, the Under-19, playing in the Second Category, and the First Division, playing in the Third Amateur Category, the initial category for new clubs,” explained Varela.
Another point in common with those Spanish or Italian emigrants that formed teams in their homeland is that all the clubs were started from scratch. Instead of buying a spot left behind by another institution that went broke, they registered both teams in the lowest categories possible and intend to rise up.
Club Argentino de Fútbol compete in tournaments in the Community of Madrid, a league comprising several groups of 16 or 18 teams, divided by regions.
Expenses – and sponsors
Naturally, a club needs a bit more than just the passion of its founders.
“For the time being, we rent a pitch in Alcalá de Henares and we bear all expenses, from clothing to the coaches’ wages, one of them José ‘Chiqui’ Garcia Sánchez, a Spaniard with plenty of experience in lower divisions, and even a Brazilian advisor, Mazinho Oliveira. But the idea is to find sponsors to keep on growing,” the club's owners said.
Even though football is the axis and main activity of the club, its founders want it to be a true “meeting point” for the Argentine expat community and beyond. Because the Club Argentino de Futbol can also be described as a small sample of a multicultural Spain – its team has Argentines, of course, but also Spanish and Peruvian players.
Adrián imagines the club as an institution that will encourage the meeting of the Argentine community, which right now is quite scattered. They communicate a lot by multiple groups on social networks, such as Instagram, where the Club already has over 600 “supporters."
“I hope we can shortly also organise an asado or truco tournaments so that the club truly works as a meeting point for Argentines and those wishing to take part,” Adrián added.
Progression
The truth is the project is progressing splendidly. With a strategic location in Alcalá de Henares, some 15 minutes from Madrid, an increasing number of Argentines go there each week to see their new team play at the modern La Garena Sporting Complex.
As Adrián explains, even though many compatriots are supporters of Boca, River, Real Madrid or Atlético de Madrid (coached by legendary ex-international Diego 'Cholo' Simeone), having an “Argentine” team in Spain awakens unprecedented passion.
The question is how Spaniards welcomed the new club.
Adrián’s answer is decisive: “Pleasantly surprised. Because, after winning the World Cup, our football is admired and welcomed.”
It's not hard to get the team's colours right either – something else that is true about Gran Vía is that Argentine national team shirts and kits can be purchased almost as if one were on Avenida Corrientes.
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