Argentina boasts of its brand and global community ahead of the classic match against England.
Atlanta (USA), July 14 (EFE)
Argentina faces England this Wednesday in the second World Cup semifinal. The support of its fans will not be limited to the stands of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The AFA brand is increasingly global. “Every match Argentina plays, we see videos from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Middle East, and there’s a real buzz surrounding the Argentine national team,” Leandro Petersen, AFA marketing director, told EFE.
“It’s something we’ve all built together, with Leo Messi obviously as a great ambassador, with all the humility he exudes, the respect, the solidarity with his teammates, always putting the team before the individual, with the great work of Lionel Scaloni and with institutional work from the president to everyone involved,” said the Argentine executive, who spoke to EFE in Atlanta just hours before the semifinal.
While Scaloni prepares for a major international football classic, the AFA continues working on brand promotion events and signing sponsorship deals.
“It’s obviously a great source of pride, a sustained growth over nine years on the field thanks to all the work Lionel Scaloni and his staff have done; and off the field, thanks to the work we’ve done to make the AFA a global brand, a financially sound institution, and to reinvest that money in a sporting project that, fortunately, has borne fruit,” said Petersen.
“We’re in another semifinal, so we’re really happy, and I think seeing this is seeing a solid brand, a global brand, an attractive brand, a huge communication platform for a lot of multinationals that trust in everything we do,” he added.
Scaloni emphasized in a press conference that Argentina-England should be just a football match, but the weight of history makes it a classic of undeniable tension.
“There’s a lot of nervousness, because it’s clearly a special match, a classic, not because of the hype that’s sometimes added, which we try to stay out of. We shouldn’t mix things up here, and I think what Scaloni said is a great example of that. But yes, as a football match, it’s a classic, there’s a lot of history involved, just like if we were playing against Italy, Germany, Brazil, or France,” he said.
“I think it’s a special match because both teams have great squads: for the neutral spectator it’s going to be a great match, for us it’s going to be a real struggle; hopefully it will end with a big celebration, as has been happening lately. I love these kinds of matches because I think the competition elevates you and makes you better, and playing against the best is always the best thing,” he concluded.
England and Argentina face off this Wednesday in the second World Cup semifinal, with a place in the final at MetLife Stadium against either France or Spain at stake.
