Argentina is renowned for having some of the most passionate and intense club rivalries in the world of soccer. This dedication to rivalry appears to have reached an extreme level. Following intense derbies such as Boca Juniors vs. River Plate and Lanús vs. Banfield, the inherent animosity runs incredibly deep within the culture. Newell`s Old Boys from Rosario, Lionel Messi`s childhood team, recently took unprecedented action by suspending six youth players for posing in a photograph with a player from their fierce rivals, Rosario Central.
According to reports, the six youngsters from the club`s youth ranks were handed a three-month suspension specifically for being pictured with Ignacio Malcorra of Rosario Central. The fixture between Newell`s and Rosario Central is known as the Clasico Rosarino, one of Argentina`s most significant derbies.
In addition to the suspension, the players also had their scholarships to the club`s school revoked. The club confirmed that the photo was taken at the behest of some of the children`s parents, who then shared the image via WhatsApp before the club became aware of it.
Remarkably, these young players attend the Escuela de Fútbol Infantil Malvinas Argentinas, the very same football academy attended by both Lionel Messi and Argentina`s World Cup-winning head coach, Lionel Scaloni.
Carlos Panciroli, a former club captain and the current director of the school, stated that the decision was reached in agreement with the players` parents.
`The kids are the victims because the photo was generated by their parents. This decision is an internal corrective to prevent these mistakes of uploading photos from being repeated. Everyone can do what they want, but not with Newell`s gear. We must respect the crest, the jersey, and that`s why we had to set a precedent,` he commented, as reported by Clarin.
