In an unprecedented and highly controversial move, Argentinian football club Deportivo Riestra has sparked outrage by starting a social media influencer with no prior playing experience in a top-flight league match. The decision to include 24-year-old Ivan Buhajeruk, known online as “Spreen”, in the starting lineup against league leaders Vélez Sarsfield on Monday night has been widely condemned as a shameful publicity stunt that disrespects the sport and its players.
Buhajeruk, who boasts over 13 million followers across various social media platforms, was reportedly included in the squad at the behest of Deportivo Riestra owner Victor Stinfale. The businessman, who also owns an energy drink company, allegedly saw an opportunity to promote his brand by registering the influencer as a player, assigning him the number 22 shirt, and sending him out to face the league’s top team.
A Farcical 50-Second Debut
In what might have been a dream come true for Buhajeruk but a nightmare scenario for football purists, the influencer’s on-pitch debut lasted a mere 50 seconds. He was substituted off without touching the ball, but not before drawing the ire of commentators and spectators alike. One broadcaster from Tyc Sports thundered, “He doesn’t even know where to stand … it’s unbelievable. This is shameful, it’s a total disgrace.”
Players and Legends Slam “Lack of Respect”
The backlash against Deportivo Riestra’s stunt was swift and severe. Vélez goalscorer Braian Romero was among a chorus of current and former players who voiced their displeasure, channeling his inner Samuel Beckett as he sighed, “It is a wrong message to society, to kids who try hard. Football is not that, it is trying and failing and trying again.” Argentinian legend Juan Seba Verón also weighed in, declaring Spreen’s inclusion “a total lack of respect for football and footballers.”
Football is not that, it is trying and failing and trying again.
– Braian Romero, Vélez Sarsfield goalscorer
Manager Defends Decision, Claims Opponent Wanted More
Aware of the impending backlash, Deportivo Riestra manager Cristian Fabbiani revealed that he had informed his Vélez counterpart about the plan to start and immediately substitute Buhajeruk, in an attempt to avoid accusations of disrespect. Astonishingly, Fabbiani claimed that upon hearing the news, the opposing manager had quipped, “Leave him on for half an hour.”
While football has long been a magnet for publicity stunts and shameless commercialization, the Spreen debacle marks a new low in the sport’s continuing descent into farce. As clubs prioritize short-term viral fame and brand exposure over the integrity of the game, incidents like this are likely to become more commonplace – much to the dismay of players, pundits, and purists alike.
A Dangerous Precedent?
The Deportivo Riestra influencer stunt raises troubling questions about the future of football in an era dominated by social media and relentless commercialization. Will other clubs follow suit, fielding TikTok stars and YouTubers in a desperate bid for viral attention? How far will the line be pushed before the sport’s governing bodies intervene to protect the sanctity of the game?
As the football world grapples with the fallout from this latest controversy, one thing is clear: the beautiful game is under threat like never before. It falls to the guardians of the sport – the players, managers, and fans who truly love and respect it – to take a stand against such blatant disregard for the principles and traditions that make football the global passion it is today. Only by safeguarding the integrity of the game can we hope to pass it on unsullied to future generations of players and supporters.
The Spreen spectacle may have been a short-lived farce, but its implications are far-reaching and deeply troubling. As football grapples with an identity crisis in the age of influencers and instant gratification, it is up to all those who cherish the sport to ensure that such shameful episodes remain the exception rather than the norm. The future of the beautiful game hangs in the balance – and it is a fight that true football lovers cannot afford to lose.
