Soccer is the most popular sport in Argentina. Actually, it might be more than that.
Born in Frontera, Argentina, Fire midfielder Federico Navarro was back in his home country when Lionel Messi and the national team beat France in a thrilling final to win the World Cup. Navarro recalled the Argentina’s reaction to the victory, one that gave the South American nation its third world championship.
“Here, it’s the maximum that can happen to all of us,” Navarro said through a translator. “Here, especially, [soccer] is before anything in Argentina, before anything else. I feel like people here breathe in [soccer]. The world stops when the team is playing.”
Navarro, 22, made his professional debut for Argentine club Talleres in 2019. Though he gets paid to play the sport, it’s clear his fandom and love of the sport hasn’t waned.
When he spoke about being in Argentina during its triumph in Qatar, Navarro didn’t sound like a stilted pro who only views the game as a way to pad his bank account. He spoke like somebody proud of his nation, and truly grateful to share the moment with his family and fellow Argentines.
“It means the world to an Argentine,” Navarro said. “I was able to be in the country and watch it with my wife, but also with my grandmother, and I was able to live it as a fan and [to] watch the team win it was incredible. I really can’t explain it to you. It was just so incredible.
“Everywhere, the people were stopped. Everyone was watching. In this country, it’s the absolute maximum thing that could ever happen. Everyone wants for the team to win the World Cup.”
Navarro isn’t the only Fire player with ties to Argentina.
Midfielder Gaston Gimenez was born in Formosa, Argentina, and appeared in one match for the national team before switching to Paraguay. Navarro said he and Gimenez had been talking about the World Cup all last year, eager to see how Argentina would fare.
Now that Argentina has won, Navarro and Gimenez are planning to celebrate when they see each other by drinking mate, a traditional tea-like caffeine-infused beverage.
“[Gimenez] is Argentine 100%,” Navarro said. “I know that he switched over to play with another team because of [soccer], because sometimes [soccer] is that way and things like that happen.”
A defensive midfielder who’s built a reputation for strong challenges and endless energy, Navarro has established himself as a key part of the Fire midfield. Taking the next step and getting into contention for the 2026 World Cup roster won’t be easy because of the strength of Argentina’s player pool, but Navarro hopes to make that happen after improving his game and gaining more experience.
“That’s the biggest dream, the dream that every Argentine player has, to wear the shirt of the national team,” Navarro said. “Maybe more for us, we feel it a little bit differently, as Argentines are very passionate, and especially when it comes to representing our country and playing for our flag.”