Football and National Identity in Twentieth-Century Argentina: La Nuestra (Palgrave Studies in Sport and Politics)

This book examines how since its arrival in 1867 with British immigrants, football has become the key cultural signifier of national identity in Argentina over the long twentieth century. With the international exploits of players such as Luis Monti, Alfredo Di Stéfano and Diego Maradona, the sport has projected Argentina onto the global consciousness not seen in any other way. In this book, Mark Orton challenges existing myths surrounding the nativisation of football in Argentina away from British influence, as he shows how the game provided a conduit for the assimilation of millions of European immigrants in the early decades of the century into a new Argentine ‘race’. The book also examines how football gave some of the ‘voiceless others’ such as women, Afro-Argentines, indigenous people and those in the interior an arena to project themselves in an Argentine society that was masculine, white and Buenos Aires-dominated. Acknowledgements Contents Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables 1 Introduction Structure Methodology and Sources References 2 ‘The Virile English Game’: The Origins of Argentine Football 1867–1912 The Third British ‘Invasion’ of Argentina Football’s Arrival and Early Diffusion in Argentina Mens sana in corpore sano Loco for Football Crisol de Razas: Football, Immigration and National Identity Construction References 3 Creating Argentinidad Through Football 1913–1930 Conceptualising National Identity: La Nuestra and the Myth of the Criollo Rebirth La Italianización Del Fútbol Argentino ‘The Gallery of Beautiful Faces’ Negros Y Pardos: Afro-Argentines in Argentine Football Chacareros Y Peloduros: Challenging the Outsider Status of the Interior References 4 Flying the Flag: Football and the International Projection of Argentinidad 1913–1930 International Projection and Transnational Exchanges in Argentine Football Brothers in Arms: Argentine Football and the Uruguayan ‘Other’ Rimpatriati: Italo-Argentines in Italian Football References 5 Political Football: The Age of Decline? 1931–1958 The Introduction of Professionalism and la década infame Argentine Football’s ‘Golden Age’? A ‘New Argentina’: Peronism and Football ‘Sundays Without Football’: The Players’ Strike of 1948–1949 The Third Way The ‘Disaster of Sweden’ References 6 The Age of Social and Footballing Revolution 1959–1976 Revolutions: The Battle for Argentina’s Footballing Identity ‘Animals’ The Renaissance of La Nuestra Vendepatrias: Migration and National Identity in Argentina Estudiantes the Iconoclasts Pioneras ‘Fomenting National Integration’: Football and the Incorporation of the Interior into the Argentine Mainstream References 7 In the Shadow of the Proceso 1976–1983 ‘25 Million Argentines Will Play for the World Cup’: Mundial’78 and Argentine Identity Pibe De Oro: The Emergence of Diego Maradona as National Icon Malvinas Y Mundial References 8 False Dawn: From Democratic Restoration to Economic Armageddon 1983–2002 Azteca Gold National Team for All? The Argentine Football Factory: Menem, Macri and Neo-Liberalism ¡Violencia! El Crisis References 9 Conclusion References Index This book examines how since its arrival in 1867 with British immigrants, football become the key cultural signifier of national identity in Argentina over the long twentieth century. With the international exploits of players such as Luis Monti, Alfredo Di Stefano and Diego Maradona, the sport has projected Argentina onto the global consciousness not seen in any other way. In this book, Mark Orton challenges existing myths surrounding the nativisation of football in Argentina away from British influence, as he shows how the game provided a conduit for the assimilation of millions of European immigrants in the early decades of the century into a new Argentine race. The book also examines how football gave some of the voiceless others such as women, Afro-Argentines, Indigenous people and those in the interior an arena to project themselves in an Argentine society that was masculine, white and Buenos Aires-dominated. Mark A. Orton is an independent researcher with a PhD and MA in sports history from the International Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Montfort University in Leicester, UK. His research interests focus on national identity and sport in Spain and Latin America