These are the best sports to watch in Argentina
If Argentina is where you're headed this year and you're planning what to see and do there, why not think about making time to catch a little sport? Sport plays a big part in Argentinian society with a number of them practiced both for leisure and to keep fit. But which are the most popular sports to watch?
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Photo via Flickr [/caption]
Photo via Flickr [/caption]
Photo via Flickr [/caption]
Photo via Flickr [/caption]
Football
Football is by far the most popular and successful sport in Argentina. The men's national team is currently 11th in the Fifa world rankings, and has won the Copa América 14 times. The Primera División is Argentina's professional football league, with big-name teams like River Plate and Boca Juniors competing for the title. Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero are two of Argentina's biggest stars, yet neither ever played in the Primera División, both going straight into professional careers overseas. Though you'll find both proudly representing the national team.Learning Spanish? Check out our free placement test to see how your level measures up!
For lower league football action in Argentina, Primera B Nacional is the second division, with 32 teams competing to be promoted to the Primera División and avoid relegation to the third division. This third tier is occupied by two professional leagues, the Primera B Metropolitana and the Torneo Federal A. And if you want to enjoy even more grass roots football then there are almost 40 further teams competing at fourth and fifth levels. Football is everywhere you look in Argentina! So what language do you need on the terraces if you're watching a game in Argentina? Here is a little vocabulary along with some special terms you might only hear in Argentina. Mano — hand ball Penal — penalty Barrete — slide tackle Fuera de Lugar — off side Tarjeta Roja / Amarilla — ted / yellow card El Area — the zone / box Arbitro — referee Morfón — player who doesn't pass Pase — pass Taco — back heel Vaselina — lob Chilena — bicycle kick Rabona — kicking the ball with a crossed leg, signature move of Claudio Borghi and Angelito di María Burlar — dribbling Gambeta — a special kind of dribbling perfected by the likes of Maradona and Messi. Falta — foul Poste — post Pegarle (al balón) — to shoot Meter un gol / clavar un gol — to score a goal Trapo — banners and flags Hinchada — fans Termo — hot-headed players / fans [caption id="attachment_6313" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Photo via Flickr [/caption]
Rugby
Argentina is tenth in the rugby world rankings, regularly competing in the Rugby World Cup and the Rugby Championship. Rugby is particularly popular in the Greater Buenos Aires region, where some eighty clubs play. Argentina has 24 separate provincial unions which all organise their own competitions, so you should be able to find a game no matter where you are in Argentina. Though for bigger competitions you should follow either the Nacional de Clubes or the Torneo del Interior, both of which have 16 teams competing over short seasons. Some of the biggest teams to look out for are the Hindú Club and Club Newman for Nacional de Clubes, and CURNE and Huirapuca for Torneo del Interior. So what language do you need to know when watching a game? El rugby — rugby Partido — game Pasando — passing Try — try Falto — foul Tag — tag Placaje tackle — rugby tackle Equipo — team La competición — competition El campeonato — championship Ganar — to win Perder — to lose Balón — ball Copa — cup [caption id="attachment_6314" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Photo via Flickr [/caption]