President Javier Miley has expressed his willingness to develop a low-intensity war with the president of the Argentine Football Association, Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia. According to what sources from the presidential environment described to PERFIL, it is the “silent” way in which the head of state shows his disapproval with what is happening in Argentine football.
According to reports, there is a line in government that they do not want to cross: the intervention of the AFA through the Minister of Justice, Mariano Cuneo Libarona, and the head of the General Inspectorate of Justice (IGJ), headed by Daniele Vitolo, who came out on Thursday to make public statements.
Despite this, Casa Rosada assures that they will play with the power of the “media” against Tapia. It will not only encourage the complaint that has already spread in the justice and in the media in Sur Finanzas, along with the leader and financier of Tapia, Ariel Vallejo, whose file is already in the federal judge of Lomas de Zamora.
Authoritarians don’t like this
The practice of professional and critical journalism is an essential pillar of democracy. This is why it bothers those who believe they are the bearers of the truth.
They also plan to strongly highlight the contradictions of the leader of the Argentine Football Association, the increases in assets and the unclear maneuvers of the entire environment of the Argentine football coach, who until now has remained largely supported by the support of the football team, with Lionel Messi at the helm.
In this context, the government will not take legal action against the civic association led by Tapia (in the past it threatened to do so and was unable to do so), but it will do everything in its power, in the media sphere, to deal it a severe blow. This is what official sources explain.
Part of this strategy is canceling the Argentine president’s trip to the United States to participate in the World Cup draw. This decision seeks to express disapproval of the sanctions received by Estudiantes de la Plata.
But this step has other aspects as well. Although Casa Rosada denies that Miley is looking for a photo with Lionel Messi, there are unofficial polls to see if that photo could be produced. The good chemistry between the Inter Miami player with Tapia and the depressing image on other occasions prevented the president from traveling and exposing himself to insolence.
Despite not directly clashing with the AFC and a large part of the clubs (those who support the current Tapia administration, whether with conviction or resignation), Patricia Bullrich, the current senator, announced on Thursday that she will evaluate the Tapia administration as president of the AFC.
Bullrich, true to his style, came out with the best plugs, on Friday likening Tapia to a “poverty manager” and the clubs to “piqueteros”.
Bullrich said in radio statements after taking the oath as a member of the Senate: “It is like the sit-ins with poverty managers: the presidents of the Argentine Football Association are the managers of poverty, and the clubs are the sit-ins who must ask for support so that they can survive.”
At the same time, official sources indicate that addressing the draft law establishing sports joint-stock companies (SAF or SAD) will not be a priority this year. Tapia was specifically against this initiative, while the president of Estudiantes de la Plata, Juan Sebastian Veron, showed his inclination to invest private capital in football.
Casa Rosada’s movements were zigzagging towards the AFC president. Secretary General Karina Miley struck a truce a year ago when she posed for a photo with Tapia and current Chief of Staff Manuel Adorni at CONMEBOL headquarters when the 2030 World Cup venues were officially announced. The photo that caused the noise.
And there is another gesture that has gone unnoticed: Torneo Mercado Libre is the name that the local football competitions will bear in 2026 and 2027. The company and the digital platform created by Marcos Galperin, the richest man in Argentina, and very close to the ideas of the head of state, have been able to establish the “brand” no more and no less than it was in the local championship. Galperin avoided the photo with Tapia.
The “silent” war that Miley is waging over what is happening with the management of the most popular sport has led him to give signals in favor of Estudiantes during the last week. For example, he posted a photo of young Carlos Salvador Bilardo on social media, as a player, alongside Osvaldo Zubeldia, the glorious prick.
Also on Tuesday, when he received the Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, he himself decorated his office with T-shirts and banners related to the La Plata club.
At no time did the President mention Tapia.
This Thursday, when the Argentine Football Association announced the imposition of a sanction on Estudiantes for the “corridor” and on Veron himself (who broke the silence on Friday), he decided to disembark from the trip scheduled for next December 5, in which he will share the fund with Donald Trump, and with Gianni Infantino and other world leaders.
I feel sad
◆ President Javier Miley wants to take a photo with Lionel Messi but the key passes through Tapia. In this context, Al-Tahari decided to suspend his trip to the United States to participate, next December 5, in the 2026 World Cup draw.
◆ The situation worsened when the Argentine Football Association decided to reward Rosario Central and Estudiantes de la Plata questioned the “desktop” action.
◆ La Rosada now focused on Sur Finanzas and on Tapia’s side, Ariel Vallejo, who was now in the crosshairs of a judicial investigation.