From professionalism to ARCA: strikes that shaped Argentine football | OneFootball

Throughout its history, Argentine football has experienced various stoppages. From the foundational movement of 1931 that led to professionalism, to the recent cessation of activities announced this Monday —defined as a ‘lockout’— in retaliation to what the leadership calls a “persecution” by the National Government through the tax agency ARCA.

If we analyze the five major historical breaks, a clear pattern emerges: the clash of interests, the fight for labor rights, and the lack of payments. However, the current scenario presents a singularity: the entire industry unites to protest against an external factor, the pressures from Javier Milei's administration against the AFA.

1. 1931: The end of the ‘Lock Law’ and the birth of professionalism

The first major milestone occurred when footballers rebelled against the ‘Lock Law,’ which prohibited them from transferring without the approval of their original club. Under a “brown amateurism” (informal payments without rights), players demanded legal contracts. Faced with the refusal of the Asociación Amateur Argentina de Football (AAAF), the conflict led to a massive exodus to the Liga Argentina de Football (LAF), founded on May 18, 1931, by the 18 largest clubs. That schism initiated the professional championship on May 31 of that year.

2. 1948-49: The ‘Great Strike’ and the massive exodus

Led by the nascent Futbolistas Argentinos Agremiados (FAA) and figures like Oscar Basso, this protest sought union recognition and the elimination of the “retention right.” The strike paralyzed football for months and posed a challenge to the government of Juan Domingo Perón. The lack of agreement caused stars like Alfredo Di Stéfano and Adolfo Pedernera to emigrate to Colombia. Despite the loss of talent, the movement consolidated the FAA as a central political actor.

3. 1971: The Player Statute as a banner

Under the leadership of José Omar Pastoriza, the footballers initiated a strike on November 4, 1971, to be legally recognized as workers with pension rights. In the midst of Alejandro Lanusse's dictatorship, the union achieved a historic political victory: the enactment of Law 20.160 in 1973, which established the Professional Football Player Statute, a legal framework that governs to this day.

4. 1984-85: The Ruggeri-Gareca case and freedom of action

The economic crisis of Boca Juniors in the mid-80s triggered a traumatic conflict. Oscar Ruggeri and Ricardo Gareca, after two years without a contract, demanded their freedom of action. The FAA declared a general strike in January 1985 in solidarity. To unlock the paralysis, an unprecedented agreement was reached mediated by the AFA: the players moved to River Plate in exchange for 400,000 dollars and the transfer of Carlos Tapia and Julio Olarticoechea to the club from La Ribera.

5. 2017: 80 days of paralysis due to salary debts

The most recent precedent occurred in 2017, when football was halted for almost three months. The financial crisis, exacerbated by the termination of the “Football for All” program and an AFA intervened by FIFA, left teams with debts of up to five months. Although the State injected 350 million pesos, Sergio Marchi's union maintained its stance until full payment was guaranteed. The activity resumed on March 9 after intense negotiations at the Ministry of Labor.

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