Friday, November 15, 2024 (11:39) – Eurosport.nl
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Argentinian Youtuber Ivan Buhajeruk, better known as Spreen, caused a stir by playing for a minute during a Deportivo Riestra match against Velez Sarsfield. This action took place on a Monday in the top Argentine league, where the match ended 1-1. Velez Sarsfield, the leader, was particularly incensed by the influencer’s drafting, which gave them the impression that the opponent was not taking the match seriously.
Spreen, who has an impressive 7.75 million YouTube subscribers, was signed by Riestra in February and only trained for the first time on November 5. His participation was part of a publicity stunt linked to Riestra’s main sponsor, Speed, an energy drink brand known for such promotions. The reactions after the match were intense; Velez Sarsfield supporters and players in particular expressed their outrage. Braian Romero, a Velez player, called it a lack of respect for football. The Sky Sports commentator also sharply criticized the action and did not know that Spreen was not a professional footballer.
Whether Deportivo Riestra will face consequences for this stunt seems unlikely, but it has unleashed a storm of criticism within the football community in Argentina.
