Argentines’ passion for football (aka soccer or fútbol) is impossible to explain. As an Argentinian native, seeing Argentina win three World Cups is among the happiest memories of my life, along with holding my kids for the first time, so you get an idea. Losing, on the other hand, has brought me endless tears. 

Argentina has been politically divided for ages, and financial instability has been a constant. Football victories are the only events that unite people of all backgrounds in boisterous street parties.

It’s so much fun! Everyone shares the exact same reason for happiness. You hug strangers and make new friends, your worries disappear, and your mood is uplifted for months. It genuinely feels like heaven on earth.

The first football game in Argentina was played in 1867 in Buenos Aires, which has become the city with the most football stadiums in the world. Football is such an integral part of our culture, and every visit to Buenos Aires and Argentina should include exploring it.

The country shuts down when Argentina plays, schools allow kids to go home early, offices bring TVs, and stores close so everyone can watch the game. Over 5 million people took over the streets of Buenos Aries to celebrate Argentina winning the World Cup in Qatar in December 2022!

Are you planning to travel to Buenos Aires and interested in learning more about Argentina’s football culture and history? I’ve compiled a list of the best things to do in Buenos Aires (and Rosario) to connect with the local football culture. 

I’ve included places where you can learn about two of the best football players of all time, the late Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, as well as local teams’ landmarks and even some hilarious football slang. 

Have fun and “Vamos, Argentina!”

Experience Argentina’s Football Culture in Buenos Aires

1. Go to a Football Game in La Bombonera 

Of course, the first thing you must do to start grasping Argentines’ passion for football is go to a game. Buenos Aires is home to the biggest teams, including Boca Juniors and River Plate, the two flanks of the most famed national rivalry.

I suggest you attend a game in La Bombonera, Boca’s stadium, which was voted multiple times as one of the best places in the world to watch football. Its unique size, acoustics, and super fervent fandom will immerse you right in the action. You’ll love feeling the floors vibrate to the sound of passionate chants and explosive drumming.

Due to current regulations, buying tickets yourself is not possible, so I recommend you go on a tour. My kids and I have loved this Airbnb experience hosted by Mariano Nicolás and guided by charismatic local football fans. It is a top-notch tour from the beginning to the end, including the amazing choripánes (classic chorizo sandwich) eaten at a La Boca street stand.

2. Explore the Neighborhood of La Boca

Boca Juniors is the football team of La Boca, a neighborhood of Italian immigrants by the port (60% of the current Argentinean population has Italian roots). The stadium is the heart of this area, where you’ll find constant references to football. Even Boca’s eternal rival, River Plate, was born in La Boca!

Spending an afternoon strolling around the streets of La Boca is a must-do thing in Buenos Aires. It’s super touristic, yes, but still authentic, and no visit to the city is complete without a photo of the colorful houses of the tango-inspired Caminito. 

You’ll love the many football-related photo ops and the murals featuring Diego Maradona (Aristóbulo del Valle 50) and the legends Riquelme and Tévez (Martín Rodríguez and 20 de Septiembre). 

3. Visit Museo de la Pasión Boquense 

Checking out Museo de la Pasión Boquense is a must-do thing for football fans in Buenos Aires. It’s in the neighborhood of La Boca, adjacent to the stadium, and features over 110 years of the team’s history.

The iconic football player Diego Maradona has been one of Boca Junior’s greatest players and fans, so anyone who admires “El Diego” should go to this museum. End your visit with a snack at the colorful Azul y Oro cafeteria (blue and gold, the team’s colors), and get a football jersey at the gift shop.

4. Eat a Slice of Pizza Napolitana at Pizzeria Banchero 

Founded in 1932, Pizzeria Banchero is the meeting spot of Boca Juniors fans before and after the game and one of the neighborhood’s landmarks. You’ll love the ambiance and the pizza! 

But Banchero has recently gone viral because the GOAT Lionel Messi ordered a pizza napolitana from Banchero Miami and then posted a photo of it on his Instagram account, which is the biggest.

Pizza napolitana has cheese, red peppers, olives, and oregano, and it’s one of the classic Argentinean pizzas. 

5. CELEBRATE ARGENTINA’S THIRD WORLD CUP WIN

After 36 years of waiting and many heartbreaks, Argentina finally won its third World Cup in Qatar on December 18, 2022, a date now imprinted in every Argentine’s heart.

The third star was also the final recognition of one of the best football players in history, Lionel Messi, or Lío, as people call him. When the referee blew the final whistle, billions of football lovers around the globe, from Bangladesh to Antarctica, celebrated his victory. Lío could now wrap up an outstanding career with the ultimate award.

Millions of people took over the streets of every Argentinean city and town to celebrate, including 5 million in Buenos Aires, one of the biggest street parties in the world. These are some of the places you should visit to revive that moment:

• Obelisco is probably Buenos Aires’ number one landmark, where Argentines gather to celebrate (and sometimes to protest). Just close your eyes and imagine how it must have felt to be there with millions of people having the times of their lives. 
• Go to the mural of Messi making a gesture to express his anger at the Dutch team’s coach during the emotional roller-coaster game of Argentina-Netherlands. (It’s a long story but you can read it here). Address: 947 Bolivar, San Telmo. 
• Immortalize your love for Messi with a selfie by the mural of him wearing the black and gold robe (“bisht”) the Emir of Qatar handed him before lifting the World Cup trophy. This art piece was made overnight after the victory. Address: 5428 Gorriti, Palermo.
• Also in Palermo (Gorriti and Atalco), there is a mural honoring goalie Dibu Martínez’s last-minute (literally) save during the final game. Without that, France would have won!  

6. Sing and Dance to the Hits that Musicalized Qatar 22

Chanting is a key element of Argentinean football. The formula is simple: Fans usually take a popular song and replace the original lyrics to make encouraging songs for their team or to attack their rivals. 

Qatar 22 gave an astonishing number of hits. Some of them were created during and after the World Cup, while most have been used by football fans for years and were adapted for the occasion. I love this Argentina Campeón Spotify playlist with many songs not only from Qatar 2022 but honoring our rich football history. 

Don’t miss the hymn “Muchachos,” recognizing the supernatural influence of Diego Maradona (and his late parents!) in Qatar’s victory, or “3 Estrellas en el Conjunto,” recorded a few hours after the final victory by Bizarrap, the Argentinean producer who won three of the most important Latin Grammy awards in 2023. 

7. Are You Craving More? Watch These Two Movies

“Elijo Creer” (“I Choose to Believe”) follows the team’s hero’s journey from losing its first game against Saudi Arabia to winning an epic battle against France. “Muchachos” focuses on Argentina’s unbelievable fandom. Both were released in December 2023. 

8. Get a Commemorative Tattoo 

If you visit Argentina during the warmer months, you’ll spot hundreds of tattoos honoring the third World Cup victory. I decided to eternalize that moment by tattooing the team’s motto, “Elijo Creer” (I choose to believe) on my ankle. 

Some great options are the three stars, a jersey with the number 10, or “12/18/22.” I recommend Mandinga Tattoo in San Telmo (close to La Boca).

9. Go to Argentinos Juniors Stadium on Match Day

Argentinos Juniors is called “semillero del mundo” (“seedbed of the world”) because many of the best Argentinean football players, including the local hero Diego Maradona, started their careers here. In fact, the stadium is named after him!

My son and I loved going on match day. We got this ticket and were able to watch a game, visit the museum on a guided tour, and take awesome photos on the field afterward for a very affordable price. We fell so in love with the fandom! They never stopped singing, jumping, and playing drums and trumpets. 

Fun facts: 

• This team has gifted the world many legendary football players but has the smallest stadium.
• Your ticket to the museum is a stamp with Diego dressed as a saint. It says “Santo Maradona, 1960-” (Now, you get an idea of how Argentines love football…). 
• Every game played here stops 10 minutes after the beginning to celebrate “Minuto Diez,” an ongoing tribute to Diego Maradona, our eternal Diez (Ten). 
• Diego Maradona’s “chapel” is underneath the goal where Diego scored his first goal. It has jerseys and flags brought by fans from all over the world.
• Also, the inflatable tunnel from where the players get to the field has the shape of Diego!

10. Spend an Afternoon Strolling around La Paternal

Argentinos Juniors is located in La Paternal neighborhood, a lovely Buenos Aires area with a laid-back vibe and zero tourists. The streets around the Diego Maradona Stadium are full of tributes to the football semi-god (semi?). 

You’ll love the restaurants and coffee shops full of Diego images and objects. The items on the menus are named after his persona and career. 

Also, there are dozens of murals around the stadium. Some are not artistically perfect but are beautiful, spontaneous demonstrations of Argentines’ love for this man. These street art pieces feature Diego’s most memorable moments and phrases. 

My favorite is perhaps the one that features him with angel wings alongside the phrase, “They say he escaped from a dream…”

11. Do You Worship Maradona?

Plan a visit to the Maradona Church or Iglesia Maradoniana, then. You can even plan on getting married there! 

12. Watch a Football Game at Todos X El Fútbol

The next best thing to going to a live football game is to watch it in a place full of football fans while savoring delicious Argentinean food. Todos X El Fútbol is a super fun bar/restaurant where the entire family is welcome. 

This restaurant is in Recoleta, the neighborhood that gave Buenos Aires the nickname of the “Paris of South America.” It serves all the staples, from pizzas to milanesas and desserts with insane amounts of dulce de leche.

You’ll have a blast mingling with locals and experiencing their passion for football firsthand. Don’t leave without trying the classic “Fernetcola.” 

13. Learn about “the Big Five” Football Teams

As I said, Buenos Aires is home to the most important football teams in the country, also known as “the Big Five.” Boca Juniors and River Plate dispute the title of “Argentina’s most important team,” followed by San Lorenzo, Racing, and Independiente (these two are local Avellaneda rivals).  

Learning about any of them is an excellent plan for football fans and a fantastic way to tour the different areas of Buenos Aires. 

• Museo River Plate showcases the 120 years of the club’s history. It’s in Nuñez, in the north part of Buenos Aires, close to many attractions, including a super fun park for kids by the river (Parque de los Niños) and the stadium of Defensores de Belgrano, a minor football team.

• San Lorenzo’s Museo Jacobo Urso is another must-see place for football lovers. It’s in the lovely neighborhood of Boedo, full of traditional cafés and tango places (and not many tourists). Pair your visit with a stop at the café/bar Esquina Homero Manzi, where he wrote the famous tango “Sur.” 

• You’ll love exploring Independiente’s Estadio Rey de Copas (King of Cups). This team is the only Argentinean team that won seven Libertadores Cups. It’s in Avellaneda, a short drive from La Boca.

• Finally, run around the Racing Club’s field in Avellaneda.

14. Take a Side Trip to Rosario, Where Messi Was Born

Rosario is one of the biggest Argentinean cities, along with Buenos Aires and Córdoba. It’s where the national flag was created and the birthplace of many artists and athletes.

Messi was born here and started playing football at Newell’s Old Boys Club. The city is full of tributes for his most beloved son. Here are some places you must visit to follow in the footsteps of Lío in Rosario:

• Barrio La Bajada is where Messi was born and lived the first years of his life. There are 34 murals honoring his career, including “Otra Galaxia” (Azara y Buenos Aires) with the legend “He’s from another galaxy and from my neighborhood.”
• Messi scored his first goal when he was four years old at Club Abanderado Grandoli. 
• The Mural Ciudad is gigantic! (328 Libertad Ave).
• The traditional ice cream place Río Helados (founded in 1972) is near Newell’s stadium. In 2023, it created the “Inter Miami” pink flavor, a raspberry mouse with micro chocolate chips. It rapidly became “Messi’s flavor,” and it’s often sold out.

15. Use These Football Slang Words and Phrases Like a Pro

Argentines not only have one of the most interesting (well, it’s actually the weirdest) Spanish accents, but we also use super fun idioms. Here is some football slang you should know:

• Diego Armando Maradona is called indistinctly “Diego,” “El Diego,” “D10S” (“God” in Spanish, with the “i” and “o” being replaced by his number, 10), “Diegote,” and “el Diez.” 
• Messi is referred to as “Leo,” “Lío” or “Messías” (Mesias). His actual name is Lionel, and (super fun fact!) he was named after Lionel Richie.
• Boca Juniors fans are “bosteros” (“bosta” is cow poop…).
• River Plate fans are called “las gallinas” (chickens).
• “Pecho frío” or “cold chest” describes football players who lack passion. 
• “Muerto” (dead person), “paquete” (package), “tronco” (tree trunk), and “termo” (thermos) are used for bad players.
• “Ponerse la diez” is to wear a jersey with the number 10, used to describe a good action.
• “Movete o te va a mear un perro” (Move or a dog will pee on you) encourages players to be more proactive and run after the ball.

16. Watch Kids and Adults Play Football in a Park

Football is a democratic sport. As long as there is some space and a ball, anyone can play it. I’ve seen kids play football without shoes, on concrete, on grass, or on a balcony. Sit in a park and watch people of all ages gather around football. Perhaps you could ask to participate in a game and join the party!

There you have it! A locals guide on experiencing Argentina’s football culture in Buenos Aires. Do you have anything to add to this list?

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