How Argentina Lost Its Way. (Spoiler: It’s Not Messi’s Fault.)

"Argentine domestic soccer is in a state of almost permanent financial crisis. Many of its clubs lead a hand-to-mouth existence, their business models entirely reliant on selling players — ordinarily very young players — either directly to European clubs or, until the practice was banned, to investment firms hoping to profit on the country’s vast resources of talent.

That model, naturally, tends to place the focus much more on attacking players than defensive ones: it is the gifted forwards and wingers who attract the premium fees, who are more likely to be sold on to Europe for the sorts of sums that can keep a club afloat."

READ ARTICLE BY RORY SMITH