'Chiqui' Tapia: We know there’s plenty to improve on | OneFootball

In recent days, Argentine football has been completely shaken by the designation received by Rosario Central, whom Claudio Tapia declared as the 2025 League champion for being the team that accumulated the most points throughout the year. But on Sunday, the situation escalated further when Estudiantes de La Plata turned their back on Ángel Di María's team by not performing the guard of honor.

After rumors of a sanction for Estudiantes for disrupting the tribute and not performing it as per the regulations, and amidst Pablo Toviggino launching a heavy criticism against Juan Sebastián Verón, the president of the La Plata club, it was none other than Chiqui Tapia, the head of the Argentine Football Association, who commented on the events.

During the Alumni Awards ceremony, where he received the platinum award (presented for the first time in history), the 58-year-old from Puntano was self-critical about what needs to be corrected: “The battles are fought from within, not from outside. Here we all know there are many things to improve, but we also know that the only ones who give Argentine football its true value are the players, the coaches, and the managers who make an effort to create competitive teams and tournaments where everyone has the same opportunity.” But it didn't end there.

The former member of the Truck Drivers Union sent a message to Verón and all of Estudiantes: “There are some who might forget that they played two days before Barracas Central and were out of the playoffs. Because Huracán and Belgrano didn't win, they qualified and have the chance to fight for the tournament. This is Argentine football”, he exclaimed regarding how they managed to reach the Playoffs of the Clausura Tournament, and that it is one of the few clubs that publicly calls for a change in Argentine football.

On the other hand, Tapia recalled that “this is not the first time we have experienced this: three presidents have passed in just nine years that I have presided, and I have many more years left.” He added: “Do not doubt that when my term ends, those who want will have the opportunity to run”.

In conclusion, the former president of Barracas Central, where he was from 2001 to 2020, reiterated that everyone must work together to elevate the Argentine championship to the top of the continent: “We must all collaborate to make better football. The communicators communicating, the players playing, the coaches coaching, and we, the managers, correcting the mistakes. I am not voted by outsiders, I am voted by the managers of Argentine football,” he stated.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.