Verón on AFA ties: “Not sure I want to make up, this must change” | OneFootball

Estudiantes president Juan Sebastián Verón once again criticized the leadership of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and made his position clear regarding the conflict he has with the organization. “We’ve reached a point where I don’t know if I want to reconcile anymore — I want this to change,” he said, in a new chapter of the tension separating him from the current leadership headed by Claudio Tapia.

In that regard, the former footballer said the current situation “is not healthy” for Argentine football and stressed that an important opportunity is being lost at the international level. However, speaking to TN, he clarified that he is not closed off to the possibility of dialogue: “I’m interested in hearing the other side, exchanging ideas. The problem is that time goes by and there is no progress.”

Friction between Verón and the AFA deepened during 2025, a year marked by various clashes and controversies. Among them was the suspension he received after the backs-turned guard of honor for Rosario Central following the controversy over the awarded title, an episode that once again highlighted the distance between the La Plata executive and the leadership of local football.

During the interview, he also referred to the debate over sports corporations. As he explained, much of the resistance in the country is due to the way the idea is communicated: “If it is framed through fear, people will shut down. They feel that someone wants to take away something that belongs to them. At some point this is going to happen, out of necessity.”

Even so, he put forward a middle-ground position and argued that the system needs to modernize: “There can be a model that combines the social aspect with a more professional structure and outside investment.”

He also made it clear that his goal is to change a deeply rooted mindset in Argentina: “Clubs are very presidentialist. I try to make sure that doesn’t happen, that the way things work doesn’t depend on just one person.”

Finally, when speaking about his management at Pincha, he offered another definition that sums up his current view on how clubs should be run. “The result can’t contaminate the plan. What’s urgent can’t overshadow what’s important,” he said, stressing the need to sustain long-term institutional projects.

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