Twitch streamer and YouTube star Spreen rocked Argentinian professional football on Monday when he made his top-flight debut for Deportivo Riestra.
The 24-year-old, whose real name is Ivan Buhajeruk, made a cameo one minute appearance against Velez Sarsfield at the start of the match and didn’t even touch the ball.
In February, Spreen was provided with a pro contract by the club. All this despite having no prior footballing experience.
Unsurprisingly, Deportivo Riestra have come under fire for the decision to include Spreen. However, the internet personality boasts nearly 20 million followers across his social media platforms.
The club made the move as a marketing ploy but have since apologised. The idea was to attract new audiences which in a way they have.
Nonetheless, many were left annoyed at the decision including former Manchester United and Chelsea star Juan Sebastian Veron.
YouTube Star Spreen Makes Professional Football Debut
After Spreen made his debut in the Argentine league, Veron blasted the decision saying it showed a “total lack of respect for football and footballers.”
His views were echoed by Velez forward Braian Romero: “What happened today is a wrong message that we give to the youngest in society, to those who try until the end.
“That is not the way. Football is about trying, failing and trying again, always.” Deportivo Riestra did come out after the match and explained their decision and apologised to those offended.
“Yesterday, we had the opportunity to count on the participation of Iván Buhajeruk, one of the most important influencers in Latin America, in the match against Vélez,” the club posted on X.
“Unfortunately, this marketing action generated many negative opinions. We want to extend our sincerest apologies to those who felt offended.”
On Wednesday, Spreen retweeted a post on his official X account which playfully teased how Deportivo Riestra went about picking him for the match. Scroll down to take a look.
Así seleccionaron a Spreen en Deportivo Riesta pic.twitter.com/8g7ocqTkAx
— Gilbenn🃏 (@Gilbenn) November 13, 2024
