Argentina is renowned for its incredibly passionate football club rivalries, but a recent incident at Lionel Messi`s boyhood club, Newell`s Old Boys, demonstrates just how intense things can get. The Rosario-based team took surprising disciplinary action against six young players simply for posing for a photograph alongside a player from their fiercest rivals, Rosario Central.
The six members of the youth teams were reportedly handed a three-month suspension by the club. Their perceived transgression was taking a picture with Ignacio Malcorra, a player for Rosario Central. The clash between Newell`s and Rosario Central is known as the Clasico Rosarino and is considered one of the most significant rivalries in Argentine football.
Adding to the punishment, the players also had their scholarships to the club`s school revoked. Club officials indicated that the photograph was initially taken at the behest of some of the children`s parents, who then circulated the picture via WhatsApp before it came to the club`s attention.
These young footballers attend the Escuela de Fútbol Infantil Malvinas Argentinas, a notable academy that counts both Lionel Messi and Argentina`s World Cup-winning coach, Lionel Scaloni, among its former students.
Carlos Panciroli, who is a former club captain and now serves as the director of the school, stated that the decision was reached in agreement with the parents involved.
Panciroli explained that while the children were considered victims because the photo was initiated by their parents, the suspension was an internal corrective measure. The aim, he said, was to prevent repetitions of such incidents, particularly concerning the uploading of photos. He stressed the importance of respecting the Newell`s crest and jersey, stating that the action was necessary to establish a clear precedent.
