
A debate over the soul of football is raging in World Cup holders Argentina, pitting defenders of the social role of the beautiful game against the government of libertarian President Javier Milei, who wants to turn clubs into for-profit companies.
Argentina, which gave the world Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, is home to some of the world's most devoted football fans -- a fact attributed by supporters like Gabriel Nicosia to the clubs' community outreach.