Argentina’s new president-elect Javier Milei has an interesting relationship with football in a nation where the sport is adored and Leo Messi worshipped like a king. A former teenage footballer, Milei is all set to get officially elected as Argentina’s new president in December after winning the general elections recently.
The 53-year-old is a radical far-right politician who has been swimming in controversy throughout his presidential campaign. Despite some of his controversial views, Milei’s eccentric nature and ability to influence the general population have allowed him to become the newest president of Argentina.
Milei has a past with the beautiful game of football as well. As a teenager, he pursued a career in the sport and played at a local level in Argentina. Indeed, he used to play as a goalkeeper for Argentine second-division side Chacarita Juniors in his late teens and early young-adult years before giving it up at the age of 18.
He would go on to obtain an economics degree from the University of Belgrano and receive two master’s degrees going forward. Milei worked as an economist after his educational qualifications, before moving onto a political career in 2010.
After a decade of working as a politician, he has now hit the big time in becoming the most powerful politician in Argentina. Apart from his eccentric nature, Milei has some really crazy far-right views that include opposition of abortion, euthanasia and abolishing a number of key departments in the political system.
For Football Twitter, the image of Milei has made many fans rather nostalgic because of how his appearance seems a throwback to the 1970s or 1980s. Indeed, Milei – who even used to sing for a Rolling Stones cover band in the past – has this rockstar look with his long hair and dressing style being similar to how people used to dress many decades ago.
The 53-year-old tries his best look much younger than his actual age and that includes growing out his hair and wearing slick jackets. Football Twitter has had a field day in comparing him with the kind of people you would find around the English football scene in the 70s or 80s.
Fans have also dug up Milei indulging in some mild footy shitposting as he compared the stats of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona back in 2016.
While a lot of football fans are having fun at his appearance, Milei’s impending election as Argentina’s is no laughing matter. The 53-year-old has already voiced his desire to implement some significant changes that might endanger freedom of speech and make it tough for the left front to survive in the country.
He has already made some derogatory, abusive comments aimed at the leftists in Argentina and promised to abolish a number of ministries, including the Ministry of Sport, which could potentially stop Argentina from finding its next Lionel Messi.
